What is Crambe oil?
Crambe oil, obtained from the seeds of the Crambe abyssinica, is used as an industrial lubricant, a corrosion inhibitor, and as an ingredient in the manufacture of synthetic rubber. It contains 55-60% erucic acid, 15% oleic, 10% linoleic, 7% linolenic, 3% eicosenoic, 3% tetracosenoic, 2% palmitic, and 2% behenic acids. According to Kenneth D. Carlson, crambe oil is a good source of long-chain fatty acids - useful as a chemical feedstock because the longer the hydrocarbon chain, the more things that can be made from it. In addition to its potential as a biofuel, crambe oil is used to manufacture synthetic rubber, as well as erucic acid-based materials like plastic film and nylon.