Environment-Friendly Heterogeneous Alkaline-Based Mixed Metal Oxide Catalysts for Biodiesel Production

Hwei Voon Lee, Joon Ching Juan, Taufiq-Yap Yun Hin and Hwai Chyuan Ong
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Hwei Voon Lee: Nanotechnology & Catalysis Research Centre (NanoCat), Institute of Postgraduate Studies, University Malaya, 50603 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Joon Ching Juan: Nanotechnology & Catalysis Research Centre (NanoCat), Institute of Postgraduate Studies, University Malaya, 50603 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Taufiq-Yap Yun Hin: Catalysis Science and Technology Research Centre (PutraCat), Faculty of Science, Universiti Putra Malaysia, 43400 UPM Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia
Hwai Chyuan Ong: Department of Mechanical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, University of Malaya, 50603 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Energies, 2016, vol. 9, issue 8, 1-12

Abstract: The critical problem arising from the depletion of fossil fuels has stimulated recent interests in alternative sources for petroleum-based fuel. An alternative fuel should be technically feasible, readily available, sustainable, and techno-economically competitive. Biodiesel is considered as a potential replacement of conventional diesel fuel, which is prepared from non-edible and high-acid feedstock via transesterification technology. The focus of this study is to investigate the catalytic activity of mixed metal oxides (MMOs) as catalysts for biodiesel production by using non-edible jatropha oil as feedstock. Various types of MMOs (CaO-MgO, CaO-ZnO, CaO-La 2 O 3 , and MgO-ZnO) were synthesized via a co-precipitation method. In this study, transesterification activities are closely related to the physicochemical properties of catalysts. The presence of different active metals in the binary system greatly influenced the surface area, basicity, and the stability of catalysts. The catalytic activity of MMO catalysts was increased in the order of CaO-ZnO (94% ± 1%) > CaO ~ CaO-MgO ~ CaO-La 2 O 3 (~90% ± 2%) > MgO-ZnO (83% ± 2%) > MgO (64% ± 1%) > ZnO (41% ± 2%) > La 2 O 3 (23% ± 1%). In addition, the MMO catalysts, especially CaO-ZnO, demonstrated high reusability and catalyst stability for four cycles of transesterification reaction of jatropha oil.

Keywords: biodiesel; transesterification; non-edible oil; mixed metal oxides; solid catalyst (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q Q0 Q4 Q40 Q41 Q42 Q43 Q47 Q48 Q49 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2016
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (4)

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