Mixed methanol/ethanol on transesterification of waste cooking oil using Mg/Al hydrotalcite catalyst

Yingqun Ma, Qunhui Wang, Lu Zheng, Zhen Gao, Qiang Wang and Yuhui Ma

Energy, 2016, vol. 107, issue C, 523-531

Abstract: Biodiesel production from waste cooking oil using calcined Mg/Al HT (hydrotalcite) as heterogeneous catalyst was investigated. This study describes the calcined Mg/Al HT prepared under optimal conditions to catalyse waste cooking oil for biodiesel preparation and proposes a plausible catalysis mechanism. The catalysts were characterised by Fourier Transform-Infrared, X-ray diffraction, Thermal Gravity Analysis-Differential thermal gravity and Brunner−Emmet−Teller measurements. Hydrotalcite with Mg/Al ratio of 3:1 showed a uniform mesoporous structure, excellent crystallinity, high surface area (270.5 m2/g) and good catalytic activity (at 500 °C calcination). The highest biodiesel yield obtained was 95.2% under optimised conditions of alcohol/oil molar ratio of 6:1, methanol/ethanol molar ratio of 4:2, catalyst content of 1.5%, reaction time of 2.5 h, reaction temperature of 80 °C. Mixed methanol/ethanol showed good synergistic effects as an ester exchange agent, and the catalyst was easily separated and recycled. Therefore, Mg/Al hydrotalcite can effectively catalyse waste cooking oil for biodiesel preparation with mixed methanol/ethanol.

Keywords: Biodiesel; Mg/Al hydrotalcite; Mixed methanol/ethanol; Synergistic effect; Catalyst reuse (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2016
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (9)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:energy:v:107:y:2016:i:c:p:523-531

DOI: 10.1016/j.energy.2016.04.066

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