Biodiesel is produced by the transesterification of oil triglycerides with methanol or ethanol, in the presence of a homogeneous or heterogeneous catalyst. This study aims to report the results of the transesterification of sunflower oil with methanol to produce biodiesel using CaO nanoparticles supported on NaX zeolite as catalyst. The effect of the CaO nanoparticles concentration on the NaX zeolite surface was studied in the range of 5−25 wt %. The transesterification reaction was carried out at reflux temperature of methanol, atmospheric pressure, a reaction time of 6 h, and with a 6:1 molar ratio of methanol to sunflower oil. Catalyst characterization was carried out by X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. It was concluded that methyl esters content is highly influenced by basicity and that the best catalyst was the one holding 16 wt % CaO nanoparticles. The produced biodiesel was 93.5% methyl esters and was found to fulfill the specifications of Europ...

Preparation and Characterization of CaO Nanoparticles/NaX Zeolite Catalysts for the Transesterification of Sunflower Oil

The world is confronted with the twin crises of fossil fuel depletion and environmental degradation. The indiscriminate extraction and consumption of fossil fuels have led to a reduction in petroleum reserves. Petroleum based fuels are obtained from limited reserves. These finite reserves are highly concentrated in certain region of the world. Therefore, those countries not having these resources are facing a foreign exchange crisis, mainly due to the import of crude petroleum oil. Hence it is necessary to look for alternative fuels, which can be produced from materials available within the country. Although vegetative oils can be fuel for diesel engines, but their high viscosities, low volatilities and poor cold flow properties have led to the investigation of its various derivatives. Among the different possible sources, fatty acid methyl esters, known as Biodiesel fuel derived from triglycerides (vegetable oil and animal fates) by transesterification with methanol, present the promising alternative substitute to diesel fuels and have received the most attention now a day. The main advantages of using Biodiesel are its renewability, better quality exhaust gas emission, its biodegradability and the organic carbon present in it is photosynthetic in origin. It does not contribute to a rise in the level of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere and consequently to the green house effect. This paper reviews the source of production and characterization of vegetable oils and their methyl ester as the substitute of the petroleum fuel and future possibilities of Biodiesel production.

Biodiesel production through the use of different sources and characterization of oils and their esters as the substitute of diesel: A review

Activity of solid catalysts for biodiesel production: A review

The production of biodiesel is greatly increasing due to its enviromental benefits However, production costs are still rather high, compared to petroleum-based diesel fuel The introduction of a solid heterogeneous catalyst in biodiesel production could reduce its price, becoming competitive with diesel also from a financial point of view Therefore, great research efforts have been underway recently to find the right catalysts This paper will be concerned with reviewing acid and basic heterogeneous catalyst performances for biodiesel production, examining both scientific and patent literature

Heterogeneous catalysts for biodiesel production

Opportunities and challenges for biodiesel fuel

Biodiesel fuel, a promising alternative diesel fuel produced by a catalytic transesterification of vegetable oils, has become more attractive recently because of its environmental concerns and the fact that it is made from renewable resources. In this work, the transesterification of soybean oil with methanol has been studied in a heterogeneous system, using alumina loaded with potassium iodide as a solid base catalyst. After loading KI of 35 wt.% on alumina followed by calcination at 773 K for 3 h, the catalyst gave the highest basicity and the best catalytic activity for this reaction. The catalysts were characterized by means of XRD, IR, SEM and the Hammett indicator method. Moreover, the dependence of the conversion of soybean oil on the reaction variables such as the catalyst loading, the molar ratio of methanol to oil and the reaction time was studied. The conversion of 96% was achieved under the optimum reaction conditions. Besides, a correlation of the catalyst activity for the transesterification reaction with its basicity was proposed.

Alumina-supported potassium iodide as a heterogeneous catalyst for biodiesel production from soybean oil

Soybean oil methyl esters preparation using NaX zeolites loaded with KOH as a heterogeneous catalyst

Zn/I 2 was found to be a practical and effective catalyst for the transesterification of soybean oil with methanol. A study for optimizing the reaction conditions such as the molar ratio of methanol to oil, the reaction time and the catalyst amount, was performed. The highest conversion of 96% was obtained under the optimum conditions. Further, the effect of free fatty acids and water in the soybean oil on the catalytic activity of the catalysts was also investigated.

Haitao Li

Papers

Alumina-supported potassium iodide as a heterogeneous catalyst for biodiesel production from soybean oil

Soybean oil methyl esters preparation using NaX zeolites loaded with KOH as a heterogeneous catalyst

Transesterification of Soybean Oil to Biodiesel with Zn/I2 Catalyst