Preparation and Evaluation of Cucumeropsis mannii Naud. Seed Oil Metallic Soaps as Driers in Gloss Paint

The physicochemical properties and fatty acid composition of Cucumeropsis mannii (egusi, melon) seed oil was determined. Cucumeropsis mannii seed oil was utilized in the preparation of metal soaps of zinc, copper and nickel. The metallic soaps were characterized and applied in gloss paint as driers. The lipid content of C. mannii seed was found to be 57.26 %. The iodine value, saponification value, acid value, free fatty acid, peroxide value, specific gravity and refractive index were determined using standard procedures and values were 114.94 gI2/100g, 220.19 mgKOH/g, 7.09 mgKOH/g, 4.512 %, 20.00 meq/kg, 0.9129 and 1.35 respectively. The seed oil contained palmitic, stearic, oleic, linoleic and linolenic acids, but the most abundant fatty acid is linoleic (64.15 %). Gloss paint was formulated using standard procedure and the metallic soaps were incorporated into the paint as driers. Performance test showed that the metallic soaps acted as a catalyst in the paint matrix, reducing the drying time.