Cashew nut shell liquid (CNSL), Cardanol, Residol and its derivatives are versatile in its properties. Such amazing Natural products comes in varying specifications. Blueline Foods is competent in providing its customers with CNSL products within the required specifications.
Viscocity, pH, Ash content, Colour etc. are important to customers in different degrees and need to be controlled during production.Our capabilities in handling the specifications help our customers manufacture high quality products from CNSL and its derivatives.
With manufacturing capacity of 200mts per month in 3 different facility and ample supply of raw material and storage facility to match the production, Blueline can supply CNSL throughout the year consistently.
With four decades of experience in CNSL and its derivatives, you can depend on us to provide consistent quality in our products. Our team constantly learns and upgrades the processes to meet your needs..
CNSL has excellent polymerization properties that make it very attractive for the plastic and other industries.
Managing Director Blueline Foods
Cashew nut shell liquid (CNSL) is one of the sources of naturally occurring phenols. It is obtained from the shell of a cashew nut. About 30-35% CNSL is present in the shell, which amounts to approximately 67% of the nut. CNSL is traditionally obtained as a by-product during the process of removing the cashew kernel from the nut. The processes used are mainly hot-oil and roasting in which the CNSL oozes out from the shell. The cashew tree is cultivated globally in tropical areas such as East Africa, South and Central America and the Far East.
The world availability of CNSL is in the region of 50,000 tons/year.
Natural (i.e. cold, solvent extracted) CNSL contains approximately 70% anacardic acid (Fig 1), 18% cardol, and 5% cardanol, with the remainder being made up of other phenols and less polar substances. As can be seen in Figure 1, anacardic acid, cardanol and cardol consist of mixtures of components having various degrees of unsaturation in the alkyl side-chain
In technical (i.e. heat extracted) CNSL, the heating process leads to decarboxylation of the anacardic acid to form cardanol. Typically, the composition of technical CNSL is approximately 52% cardanol,10% cardol, 30% polymeric material, with the remainder being made up of other substances.The technical CNSL is often further processed by distillation at reduced pressure to remove the polymeric material. The composition of distilled technical CNSL is approximately 78% cardanol, 8% cardol, 2% polymeric material and the remainder other substances.
Commercial Applications
CNSL resins have been used extensively in the manufacture of friction-resistant components in applications such as brake and clutch linings. These resins are used as binders for friction ingredients and also as friction ingredients themselves in the form of fine dusts obtained from the completely cured resins.
CNSL-aldehyde condensation products and CNSL-based phenolic resins are used in applications such as surface coatings, adhesives, varnishes and paints. Various polyamines synthesised from CNSL or cardanol are used as curing agents for epoxy resins. CNSL and its derivatives have been used as antioxidants, plasticisers and processing aids for rubber compounds and modifiers for plastic materials.
Resins based on the reaction products of cardanol phenol and formaldehyde are used to improve the resistance of rubber articles to cracking and ozone. CNSL, cardanol and cardol are all used to provide oxidative resistance to sulfur-cured natural rubber products. Cardanol, CNSL or sulfurated CNSL is added to rubber gum stock or nitrile rubber to improve the processability, mechanical properties and resistance to crack and cut properties of the vulcanisates.
A number of products based on CNSL are used as antioxidants, stabilisers and demulsifiers for petroleum products. Metal xanthates of partially hydrogenated, sulfurised cardanol is used to lower the pour point of lubricating oils as well as acting as antioxidant and anticorrosive properties. Soluble metal derivatives of CNSL are used to improve the resistance to oxidation and sludge formation of lubricating oils. Oxidised CNSL and its derivatives are used as demulsifying agents for water in oil type petroleum emulsions