Dimer fatty acid was produced from melon seed oil (MSO) using su1phur.a~
catalyst. The oil was 'dimerised at the temperature values of 300, 310, 320,
330, 34-0, and 350°C, under inert atmosphere of nitrogen using 0.5% sulphur
as catalyst. Ten samples were withdrawn at five minutes interval each for
every specified temperature and analysed. The analysis of these dimer fatty
acids (DFA) reveals steady increases in the acid values, refractive indices,
and the molecular weights. The optimum yield of dimer was obtained on
dimerisation at 350°C for 30minujes, and the yield under, this condition was
48.67%. The effectiveness of sulphur catalyst, when compared with iodine
and NaHS04 used by other researchers under the same methodology and
laboratory conditions, was adjudged the best of the three types of catalysts
used for dimerisation. Thermodynamic analysis reveal that the dimerisation
proceeds in a slow exothermic process and the heat released in the process
is very appreciable when compared to the enthalpy of dimerisation catalysed
by other catalysts 102,103