Nano-synthesis of solid acid catalysts from waste-iron-filling for biodiesel production using high free fatty acid waste cooking oil

Biodiesel synthesis from chicken feather meal using S/AlMCM-41 catalyst and engine performance analysis

In this study, Sulphated/AlMCM-41 (S/AlMCM-41) catalysts were synthesized and used to produce biodiesel from CFMO. Different percentages of S/AlMCM-41 catalysts were prepared and characterized by X-ray diffraction, BET studies, TPD, and SEM-EDS analysis. Sulphur incorporation to the MCM framework though reduced the surface area, and pore volume of the catalyst, sufficient acidity were produced in the catalyst surface. The existence of functional groups and the composition of the biodiesel obtained was analysed by FTIR and GC-MS. S/AlMCM-41 (80%) catalyst presented a high catalytic activity with maximum biodiesel conversion % when compared to other variants. The bio-ester produced from CFMO with S/AlMCM-41 (80%) catalyst possessed the higher calorific value of 50 MJ/kg and flashpoint of 153 °C and other properties analogous to the standard biodiesel. The engine performance was examined for biodiesel blends with neat diesel, where biodiesel blends performed better than neat diesel. The exhaust gas emission studies also highlighted that the obtained biodiesel showed emission characteristics similar to the standard biodiesel, whereas marginally higher emission for CO and CO2 of about 2.2 and 7.9% was reported.

Optimum Biodiesel Production Using Ductile Cast Iron as a Heterogeneous Catalyst

Biofuels production become a target for many researchers nowadays. Biodiesel is one the most important biofuels that are produced from biomass using economics and modern techniques. The ductile cast iron solid waste dust is one of the wastes produced by the cast iron industry which has a bad effect on the environment. This paper investigates the possibility of reusing ductile cast iron solid waste as a biodiesel heterogeneous catalyst used in its production from sunflower waste cooking oil. Four reaction parameters were chosen to determine their effect on the reaction responses. The reaction parameters are M:O ratio, reaction time and temperature, and catalyst loading. The reaction responses are the biodiesel and glycerol conversions. The upper and lower limits are selected for each reaction parameter such as (50–70 °C) reaction temperature, (5–20) methanol to oil molar ratio, (1–5%) catalyst loading, and (1–4 h) reaction time. Optimization was done with economic and environmental targets which include lowering the biodiesel production cost, increasing the volume of biodiesel produced, and decreasing the amount of resulting glycerol. The optimum reactions are 20:1 M:O molar ratio, 65 °C reaction temperature, 5 wt% catalyst loading, 2 h reaction time, and a stirring rate of 750 rpm. The biodiesel conversion resulting at this optimum reaction conditions is 91.7 percent with agreed with all biodiesel standards. The catalyst usability test was done it was found the catalyst can be used up to 4 times after that a fresh catalyst is required to be used.

Heterogeneous Biodiesel Catalyst from Steel Slag Resulting from an Electric Arc Furnace

Biodiesel is one of the most environmentally friendly and renewable fuels, as it is a non-polluting fuel and is made from living resources, such as vegetable oils. The steel industry generates a variety of solid wastes, including electric arc furnace slag (EAFS). The synthesis of biodiesel from waste sunflower cooking oil was examined in this study, utilizing EAFS as a catalyst, which mainly contains ferric and ferrous oxides, calcium oxide, and silica. To evaluate their impact on biodiesel production, four independent variables were chosen: temperature (50–70 °C), catalyst loading (1–5%), methanol-to-oil (M:O) molar ratio (5–20), and time (1–4 h). The response surface methodology (RSM) was used to examine the impact of independent variables on reaction response, which is the biodiesel yield. This process was carried out using a design expert program by central composite design (CCD). A model was constructed, and showed that the biodiesel yield was directly proportional to all independent reaction parameters. The predicted model’s adequacy was investigated using analysis of variance (ANOVA), which showed that it is an excellent representative of the results. The optimization of reaction conditions was investigated in order to maximize biodiesel yield at minimal reaction temperature and time, achieving a 94% biodiesel yield at a 20:1 M:O molar ratio, 5% catalyst loading, 55.5 °C reaction temperature, and 1 h reaction time.

Micelle effect on the conversion of micropore to mesoporous molecular sieves and biodiesel synthesis

Tetrabutylammonium bromide (TBAB) is used as a template for the preparation of AlPO4 and AlSiO4 materials by the hydrothermal method. TBAB is acting as individual template molecules due to this...

Copper molybdate synthesized by sonochemistry route at room temperature as an efficient solid catalyst for esterification of oleic acid

Copper molybdate nanoplates were synthesized by a sonochemical process at room temperature, which we report as a simple and cost-effective route. Structural analysis of the material by the Rietveld method of X-ray diffraction (XRD) data revealed lindgrenite Cu3(MoO4)2(OH)2 in a single-phase structure. All the vibrational modes characteristic of the space group were identified by Raman vibrational and near-infrared (NIR) spectroscopies. The profile obtained for N2 adsorption/desorption was type III hysteresis, characteristic of mesoporous materials, with a surface area of 70.77(1) m2 g-1. The micrographs of the material obtained by scanning electron microscopy showed nanoplates with nanometric sizes and an anisotropic growth aspect. The catalytic activity of lindgrenite was evaluated by esterifying oleic acid with methanol, showing high conversion rate to methyl oleate and good catalyst stability after seven recycling cycles. Above all, the best catalytic performance was reached when we optimized parameters such as oleic acid:methanol molar ratio of 1:5, 5% of catalyst dosage, and reaction time of 5 h, resulting in 98.38% of conversion at 413 K. Therefore, sonochemically synthesized lindgrenite proved to be a high potential material for biofuel production by oleic acid esterification.

Effect of nanocatalysts on the transesterification reaction of first, second and third generation biodiesel sources- A mini-review

Biodiesel is a fuel that has numerous benefits over traditional petrodiesel. The transesterification process is the most popular method for biodiesel production from various sources, categorized as first, second and third generation biodiesel depending on the source. The transesterification process is subject to a variety of factors that can be taken into account to improve biodiesel yield. One of the factors is catalyst type and concentration, which plays a significant role in the transesterification of biodiesel sources. At present, chemical and biological catalysts are being investigated and each catalyst has its advantages and disadvantages. Recently, nanocatalysts have drawn researchers' attention to the efficient production of biodiesel. This article discusses recent work on the role of several nanocatalysts in the transesterification reaction of various sources in the development of biodiesel. A large number of literature from highly rated journals in scientific indexes is reviewed, including the most recent publications. Most of the authors reported that nanocatalysts show an important influence regarding activity and selectivity. This study highlights that in contrast to conventional catalysts, the highly variable surface area of nanostructure materials favours interaction between catalysts and substrates that efficiently boost the performance of products. Finally, this analysis provides useful information to researchers in developing and processing cost-effective biodiesel.