Author Topic: Unusual tree of the day: Ongokea gore (Boleko), a fruit with an explosive oil  (Read 1104 times)

KarenRei

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One of the fun things about working on a tropical plants database is all of the unusual species you run into in the process.  One of the odder ones I ran into recently is Boleko (Ongokea gore), a tall (up to 50m) African rainforest tree in the family Aptandraceae. 



The fruit is described as sweet but slightly astringent, with a smell reminiscent of apples.  The unusual aspect of this tree, however, is its seed oil, which is unusually made of fatty acids containing diacetyl groups.  As a consequence, the (inedible) oil doesn't dry at room temperature, but as you heat it up past 200-250°C, it begins polymerizing in a highly exothermic reaction.  This speeds up the polymerization process; if heat isn't drawn away fast enough, the seed oil will explode. This aggressive polymerization property make it a useful additive to drying oils, converting them to a hard, wear-resistant, heat-resistant and chemical-resistant coating. It's used industrially to make brake pads, as an additive to silicone, and in advnaced adhesives (one has been patented for use in lithium-ion batteries).
« Last Edit: February 05, 2018, 07:54:15 AM by KarenRei »
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Future

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Cool stuff.  Me thinks you are becoming a walking tropical plant  database!

KarenRei

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Cool stuff.  Me thinks you are becoming a walking tropical plant  database!

Haha, thanks  :)
Já, ég er að rækta suðrænar plöntur á Íslandi. Nei, ég er ekki klikkuð. Jæja, kannski...