Cardanol is a phenolic lipid obtained from anacardic acid, the main component of Cashew Nutshell Liquid (CNSL), a byproduct of cashew nut processing. Cardanol finds use in the chemical industry in resins, coatings, frictional materials, and surfactants used as pigment dispersants for water-based inks. It is used to make phenalkamines, which are used as curing agents for the durable epoxy coatings used on concrete floors. Likewise cardanol finds innumerable uses in diverse industrial applications.
CASHEW NUTSHELL LIQUID (CNSL) :
The cashew nut industry is largely present in countries of tropical regions, such as India, Brazil, and Vietnam. The global world production of cashew nut crops is estimated around 4 million tons, mainly located in Vietnam followed by Nigeria, India. The cashew nut is the seed of the cashew apple. Both cashew apple and nut are comestible and widely consumed products. Cashew nuts are commercialized without their shell due to a highly vesicant substance it contains at a raw state: the cashew nutshell liquid (CNSL). CNSL is considered as an important by-product of this industry. Extracted from the soft honeycomb structure of cashew nutshells – mesocarp spongy – during the shelling process of cashew nuts, CNSL is an economical and abundant non-edible agricultural renewable resource used in many applications in research and industry. CNSL constitutes about 20-25% of the weight of the cashew nut. It is usually used in its technical state in various industrial applications such as brake linings, surface coatings, paints, varnishes, lacquers, adhesives or laminates. CNSL is the most known source of phenolic lipids in plants.Naturally occurring CNSL :
Naturally occurring CNSL obtained by cold-pressing or solvent-extraction –contains mainly four phenolic constituents: anacardic acid (70-80%), cardol (15-20%), cardanol (1-7%) and traces of 2-methyl cardol (1-4%).Raw CNSL :
Raw CNSL is a cold press or solvent extracted liquid from Cashew Nut Shell. It contains approximately 70% of anacardic acid, 18% of cardol, 5% of cardanol and 2% of 2-methyl cardanol with the remainder being made up of other phenols and less polar substances. Anacardic acid and Cardanol are monohydroxy phenols. Cardol and methyl cardanol are dihydroxy phenols.Technical CNSL :
The heating process of the Raw CNSL leads to decarboxylation of the anacardic acid to Cardanol and the typical composition of technical CNSL is approximately 52% cardanol, 10% cardol, 30% polymeric material, with the remainder being made up of other substances. Technical CNSL (i.e. commercial CNSL) is extracted by roasting the nutshells and is mainly constituted of cardanol (60-85%), cardol (4-20%), and traces of 2-methylcardol (1-5%). It barely contains anacardic acid which is converted into cardanol through thermal decarboxylation during the roasting and refining processes. The industrial grade of cardanol oil recovered from CNSL, may reach 90% of cardanol content and a smaller percentage of cardol and methylcardol. Among fine chemicals and functional molecules from cardanol, there are plasticizers, surfactants, curing agents or antioxidants.Properties :
Technical CNSL undergoes all typical phenolic reactions. Its versatility in polymerization and chemicals modification and low cost find its application in the polymeric based industries. Technical CNSL properties have advantage over phenolic in certain applications such as impact resistance, flexibility, faster heat dissipation, anti corrosive, anti- microbial, insecticidal and resistant to alkali and acid solutions as well as mineral and fatty oils and various organic solvents.Applications :
Technical CNSL has innumerable applications in polymer based industries such as friction linings, paints and varnishes, laminating resins, rubber compounding resins, cashew cements, polyurethane based polymers, surfactants, epoxy resins, foundry chemicals and intermediates for chemical industry.Technical Specification
| Technical Name | CNSL (Cashew Nut Shell Liquid) |
|---|---|
| Specific Gravity | 0.950 to 0.970 |
| Poly Time | 4 (max) |
| Viscosity @ 30 degree Celcius | 110 – 160 |
| Acid Value | Nil |
| Iodine Value | 230-250 |
| Moisture Content | 1% |
| Volatile Loss @ 205 degree Celcius | 3% |
| Ash Content | 1% |
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