1
Kwara State University, Faculty of Engineering, Department of Food and Agricultural Engineering, Malete, Kwara State, Nigeria
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Kwara State University, Faculty of Engineering, Department of Food and Agricultural Engineering, Malete, Kwara State, Nigeria
Abstract
Neem (Azadirachta indica A. Juss.) oil is a renewable feedstock for eco-friendly coatings due to its high oxidative stability and bioactive content. Its industrial adoption in sub-Saharan Africa is limited by low extraction efficiency and variable quality. This study optimized oil recovery using a locally developed semi-automated expeller integrating microwave-assisted pre-treatment with mechanical pressing. A Box–Behnken design within Response Surface Methodology assessed the influence of moisture content (4–12%), microwave duration (2–4 min), feed rate (10–20 kg h-1), and screw speed (20–60 rpm) on yield and oil quality. Models exhibited excellent predictive accuracy (R² > 0.99, p < 0.0001), identifying optimal conditions of 7.23% moisture, 2.93 min microwave exposure, 14.68 kg h-1 feed rate, and 39.65 rpm screw speed, producing 40.43% oil. The extracted oil demonstrated low acid (3.29 mg KOH g-1) and peroxide values (2.25 meq O₂ kg-1), moderate iodine value (83.0 g I₂ 100-1 g), high oxidative stability (6.5 h), thermal resistance (248.5°C), and retained unsaturated and bioactive compounds. The process improved yield, energy efficiency, and processing time, highlighting neem oil’s suitability for sustainable coatings and circular bioeconomy applications.
Keywords
Neem oil,physicochemical properties,process optimization,semi-automated expeller
How to Cite
OPOBIYI, A. T., & BUSARI , R. A. (2026). Optimization of Process Parameters for Enhanced Neem Oil Yield and Quality in Sustainable Coatings Applications. MAS Journal of Applied Sciences, 11(1), 34–52. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.18900868
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Rasheed Amao BUSARI
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