Transesterification of soybean frying oil to biodiesel using heterogeneous catalysts

In the present work, the transesterification reaction of soybean frying oil with methanol, in the presence of different heterogeneous catalysts (Mg MCM-41, Mg-Al Hydrotalcite, and K⁺ impregnated zirconia), using low frequency ultrasonication (24 KHz) and mechanical stirring (600 rpm) for the production of biodiesel fuel was studied. Selection of catalysts was based on a combination of porosity and surface basicity. Their characterization was carried out using X-ray diffraction, Nitrogen adsorption-desorption porosimetry and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) with energy dispersive spectra (EDS). The activities of the catalysts were related to their basic strength. Mg-Al hydrotalcite showed particularly the highest activity (conversion 97%). It is important to mention that the catalyst activity of ZrO₂ in the transesterification reaction increased as the catalyst was enriched with more potassium cations becoming more basic. Use of ultrasonication significantly accelerated the transesterification reaction compared to the use of mechanical stirring (5 h versus 24 h).     

Activation of Mg–Al hydrotalcite catalysts for transesterification of rape oil

Mg–Al hydrotalcites with different Mg/Al molar ratios were prepared and characterized by powder X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier-transform infrared spectra (FTIR), thermogravimetric apparatus and differential thermal analysis (TGA-DTA) and scanning electron micrograph (SEM). It was confirmed by XRD that the materials had hydrotalcite structure. The hydrotalcite catalyst calcined at 773 K with Mg/Al molar ratio of 3.0 exhibited the highest catalytic activity in the transesterification. In addition, a study for optimizing the transesterification reaction conditions such as molar ratio of the methanol to oil, the reaction temperature, the reaction time, the stirring speed and the amount of catalyst, was performed. The optimized parameters, 6:1 methanol/oil molar ratio with 1.5% catalyst (w/w of oil) reacted under stirring speed 300 rpm at 65 °C for 4 h reaction, gave a maximum ester conversion of 90.5%. Moreover, the solid catalyst could be easily separated and possibly reused.     

Conventional and in situ transesterification of sunflower seed oil for the production of biodiesel

In the present work the alkaline transesterification of sunflower seed oil with methanol and ethanol, for the production of biodiesel fuel was studied. Both conventional and in situ transesterification were investigated using low frequency ultrasonication (24 kHz) and mechanical stirring (600 rpm). Use of ultrasonication in conventional transesterification with methanol gave high yields of methyl esters (95%) after a short reaction time (20 min) similar to those using mechanical stirring. Use of ultrasonication in conventional transesterification with ethanol gave similar yields to those using mechanical stirring but significantly lower than respective yields using methanol. In the in situ transesterification the use of ultrasonication and mechanical stirring led to similar high yields (95%) of methyl esters after approximately 20 min of reaction time. In the presence of ethanol use of ultrasonication led to high ester yields (98%) in only 40 min of reaction time while use of mechanical stirring gave lower yields (88%) even after 4 h of reaction time.

 In situ transesterification gave similar ester yields to those obtained by conventional transesterification being an alternative, efficient and economical process. In all cases a concentration of 2.0% NaOH gave higher ester yields.

 Reaction rate constants were calculated, using first order reaction kinetics, to be equal to 3.1 × 10^− 3 s^− 1 for conventional transesterification using methanol and 2.0% NaOH, and 9.5 × 10^− 4 s^− 1 using ethanol.     

Biodiesel Preparation from Soybean Oil by Using a Heterogeneous Ca<Subscript>x</Subscript>Mg<Subscript>2−x</Subscript>O<Subscript>2</Subscript> Catalyst

Abstract  

An effective heterogeneous catalyst, Ca_xMg_2−xO₂, was prepared and tested for soybean oil transesterification with methanol. The catalysts were characterized by using X-ray diffraction , Fourier transform infrared spectra, thermo gravimetric and differential thermal analysis , and Hammett indicator method. The catalyst with Ca/Mg ratio of 1.0 and calcined at 800 °C exhibited high catalytic activities. Under the suitable transesterification conditions (methanol/oil ratio 12:1, catalyst loading 6 wt%, reaction time 5 h, at reflux of methanol), the oil conversion of 91.3% could be achieved. The catalyst can be easily recovered and reused without significant deactivation.     

Synthesis of glycerol carbonate from glycerol and dimethyl carbonate by transesterification: Catalyst screening and reaction optimization

The synthesis of glycerol carbonate from glycerol and dimethyl carbonate by transesterification is reported. Firstly, a catalyst screening has been performed by studying the influence of different basic and acid homogeneous and heterogeneous catalysts on reaction results. Catalytic activity is extremely low for acidic catalysts indicating that reaction rate is very slow. On the contrary, high conversions and yields are obtained for basic catalysts. Catalytic activity increases with catalyst basic strength. The best heterogeneous catalyst is CaO. Calcination of CaO increases dramatically its activity due to calcium hydroxide removal from its surface. A reaction optimization study has been carried out with CaO as catalyst by using a factorial design of experiments leading to operation conditions for achieving a 100% conversion and a >95% yield at 1.5 h reaction time: 95 °C, catalyst/glycerol molar ratio = 0.06 and dimethyl carbonate/glycerol molar ratio = 3.5. Carbonate glycerol can be easily isolated by filtering the catalyst out and evaporating the filtrate at vacuum. Leaching of catalyst in reaction medium was lower than 0.34%. Catalyst recycling leads to a quick decrease in both conversions and yields probably due to a combination of catalyst deactivation by CaO exposure to air between catalytic runs, and a decrease in the catalyst surface area available for reaction due to particle agglomeration.     

Magnetic Solid Base Catalysts for the Production of Biodiesel

Magnetic solid base catalysts were prepared by loading Na₂SiO₃ on Fe₃O₄ nano-particles with Na₂O·3SiO₂ and NaOH as precipitator. The catalysts were used to catalyze the transesterification reactions for the production of fatty acid methyl esters (FAME, namely biodiesel) from cottonseed oil. The optimum conditions of the catalysts' preparation and transesterification reactions were investigated by orthogonal experiments. The catalyst with the highest catalytic activity was obtained when Si/Fe molar ratio of 2.5, aging time of 2 h, calcination temperature of 350 °C, calcination time of 2.5 h. Magnetic of the catalyst was characterized with Vibrating Sample Magnetometer (VSM) and transmission electron microscopy photograph (TEM), and the results showed the catalyst Na₂SiO₃/Fe₃O₄ had good specific saturation magnetization and paramagnetism, and its water resistance was better than the traditional homogeneous base catalysts; under the transesterification conditions of methanol/oil molar ratio of 7:1, catalyst dosage of 5%, reaction temperature of 60 °C, reaction time of 100 min and stirring speed of 400 rpm, yield of biodiesel was 99.6%. The lifetime and recovery rate of the magnetic solid base catalyst were much better than those of Na₂SiO₃.     

类水滑石催化剂催化合成碳酸二丙酯

采用共沉淀法,在500 ℃烘干焙烧制备了类水滑石催化剂,采用X射线衍射（XRD）、红外光谱（FT-IR）、BET分析对催化剂进行了表征。将类水滑石催化剂应用于碳酸二甲酯（DMC）与正丙醇酯交换合成碳酸二丙酯（DPC）。研究结果表明：镁铝摩尔比为2∶1,在500 ℃焙烧后,类水滑石对反应有较高的催化活性;当丙醇∶DMC =3∶1（摩尔比）、催化剂用量为反应物总质量的1%、反应温度为90 ℃、反应时间为5 h时,DPC的收率为46.87%。     

Chemicals from biomass: Synthesis of glycerol carbonate by transesterification and carbonylation with urea with hydrotalcite catalysts. The role of acid–base pairs

Synthesis of glycerol carbonate has been performed by transesterification of ethylene carbonate with glycerol catalyzed by basic oxides (MgO, and CaO), and mixed oxides (Al/Mg, Al/Li) derived from hydrotalcites. The results showed that the optimum catalyst in terms of activity and selectivity is a strong basic Al/Ca-mixed oxide (AlCaMO) which is able to catalyze the reaction at low temperature (35 °C), and low catalyst loading (0.5 wt%) giving high glycerol conversions with 98% selectivity to glycerol carbonate. When the synthesis of glycerol carbonate was carried out by carbonylation of glycerol with urea, the results showed that balanced bifunctional acid–base catalysts where the Lewis acid activates the carbonyl of the urea and the conjugated basic site activates the hydroxyl group of the glycerol were the most active and selective catalysts.     

MgAlLi Mixed Oxides Derived from Hydrotalcite for Catalytic Transesterification

Abstract  

MgAl hydrotalcite was synthesized and used as support for Li impregnation. MgAlLi oxides were obtained from heat treatment of the Li/MgAl hydrotalcite. These materials were characterized and evaluated as catalysts for model transesterification reactions. MgAl showed negligible activity under mild reaction conditions (50 °C and 0.5 h) whereas Li incorporation greatly increased the activity. The activities were correlated to their basicity determined by TPD of CO₂. Reuse tests showed catalyst deactivation after the third cycle, probably due to lithium leaching. However, the contribution to a homogeneous reaction has been dismissed. MgAlLi revealed to be a promising catalysts for transesterification reaction and thus for biodiesel production.     

Production of fatty acid methyl esters over a limestone-derived heterogeneous catalyst in a fixed-bed reactor

Production of fatty acid methyl esters (FAME) via the transesterification of different vegetable oils and methanol with a limestone-derived heterogeneous catalyst was investigated in a fixed-bed reactor at 65 °C and ambient pressure. This heterogeneous catalyst, as a 1 or 2 mm cross-sectional diameter extrudate, was prepared via a wet mixing of thermally treated limestone with Mg and Al compounds as binders and with or without hydroxyethyl cellulose (HEC) as a plasticizer, followed by calcination at 800 °C. The physicochemical properties of the prepared catalysts were characterized by various techniques. Palm kernel oil, palm oil, palm olein oil and waste cooking oil could be used as the feedstocks but the FFA and water content must be limited. The extrudate catalyst prepared with the HEC addition exhibited an enhanced formation of FAME due to an increased porosity and basicity of the catalyst. The FAME yield was increased with the methanol/oil molar ratio. The effect of addition of methyl esters as co-solvents on the FAME production was investigated. The structural and compositional change of the catalysts spent in different reaction conditions indicated that deactivation was mainly due to a deposition of glycerol and FFA (if present). The FAME yield of 94.1 wt.% was stably achieved over 1500 min by using the present fixed-bed system.     

Memory effect-enhanced catalytic ozonation of aqueous phenol and oxalic acid over supported Cu catalysts derived from hydrotalcite

Mg/Al supported metal (Fe, Co, Ni and Cu) oxide catalysts were prepared by co-precipitation of hydrotalcite-like clay materials as precursors, calcined, and used for the ozonation reaction of phenol and oxalic acid. The reaction was carried out using the catalyst and aqueous solution of phenol or oxalic acid in an O₃/O₂ mixed gas-flow at 20 °C. In the ozonation of phenol, the combination of ozone and supported metal oxide catalysts was effective for the removal of total organic carbon (TOC). Also in the ozonation of oxalic acid as the main TOC component, Cu/Mg/Al catalysts showed the highest activity, followed by Ni/Mg/Al catalyst, while both Fe/Mg/Al and Co/Mg/Al catalysts were not active. Leaching of Cu and Ni, probably due to the chelation of metals by oxalic acid, was significantly observed at the beginning of the reaction. However the metal leaching disappeared at the end of the reaction possibly due to the entire consumption of oxalic acid during the reaction. The best result of oxalic acid mineralization was observed over Cu/Mg/Al catalyst calcined at 600 °C, on which least leaching of the metal was detected. Moreover, a “memory effect” of hydrotalcite accelerated the mineralization of oxalic acid over the Cu/Mg/Al catalyst; oxalate anions were captured and decomposed in the reconstituted hydrotalcite interlayer space on the surface of the Cu/Mg/Al catalyst, resulting in a remarkable enhancement in the catalytic activity of the ozonation.     

Heterogeneous Catalyst of Mixed K Compounds/Ca‐Al‐Graphite Oxide for the Transesterification of Soybean Oil to Biodiesel

A novel heterogeneous solid base catalyst was prepared by loading of Ca‐Al‐graphite oxide with mixed potassium salts and applied in the transesterification of soybean oil with methanol to produce biodiesel. The catalysts were characterized by Hammett indicators, X‐ray diffraction, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, energy dispersive X‐ray spectrometry, and transmission electron microscopy. The effects of the methanol‐to‐oil molar ratio, catalyst amount, reaction temperature, stirring rate, and reaction time were investigated to optimize the transesterification reaction conditions. Moreover, the prepared catalyst retains its activity after being used for four cycles. In particular, the solid base catalyst can be effectively and easily separated from the reaction system, which may provide significant benefits for the development of an environmentally benign and continuous process for preparing biodiesel.     

Kinetics of rapeseed oil transesterification over a heterogeneous barium-aluminum oxide catalyst with the methanol pressure taken into account

Use of heterogeneous catalysts in the synthesis of biodiesel from vegetable lipids via transesterification with alcohols has certain advantages over use of homogeneous catalysts. Commercialization of this process needs investigation of its kinetics. Here, we report, for the first time, the kinetics of transesterification of rapeseed oil with gaseous methanol over a heterogeneous catalyst with methanol partial pressure taken into account. Experiments have been carried out in a flow reactor with a fixed bed of a barium-aluminum oxide catalyst at 200°C and a methanol pressure of 0.1–2.5 MPa. Experimental data have been processed in terms of a simplified kinetic model involving one irreversible second-order reaction (first-order reaction with respect to both oil and methanol). Service life tests have been carried out for the catalyst calcined at 700°C.     

Transesterification of edible and non-edible oils over basic solid Mg/Zr catalysts

A series of Mg–Zr catalysts with varying Mg to Zr ratios was prepared by co-precipitation method. These catalysts were characterized by BET surface area, X-ray diffraction, X-ray photo electron spectroscopy and temperature programmed desorption of CO₂. The catalytic activity of these catalysts was evaluated for the room temperature transesterification of both edible and non-edible oils to their corresponding fatty acid methyl esters. The catalyst with Mg/Zr (2:1 wt./wt.%) exhibited exceptional activity towards transesterification reaction within short reaction time. The effects of different reaction parameters such as catalyst to oil mass ratio, reaction temperature, reaction time and methanol to oil molar ratio were studied to optimize the reaction conditions. The reasons for the observed activity of these catalysts are discussed in terms of their basicity and other physico-chemical properties.     

Tri-potassium phosphate as a solid catalyst for biodiesel production from waste cooking oil

Transesterification of waste cooking oil with methanol, using tri-potassium phosphate as a solid catalyst, was investigated. Tri-potassium phosphate shows high catalytic properties for the transesterification reaction, compared to CaO and tri-sodium phosphate. Transesterification of waste cooking oil required approximately two times more solid catalyst than transesterification of sunflower oil. The fatty acid methyl ester (FAME) yield reached 97.3% when the transesterification was performed with a catalyst concentration of 4 wt.% at 60 °C for 120 min. After regeneration of the used catalyst with aqueous KOH solution, the FAME yield recovered to 88%. Addition of a co-solvent changed the reaction state from three-phase to two-phase, but reduced the FAME yield, contrary to the results with homogeneous catalysts. The catalyst particles were easily agglomerated by the glycerol drops derived from the homogeneous liquid in the presence of co-solvents, reducing the catalytic activity.     

Conversion of biomass to fuel: Transesterification of vegetable oil to biodiesel using KF loaded nano-γ-Al2O3 as catalyst

KF-impregnated nanoparticles of γ-Al₂O₃ were calcinated and used as heterogeneous catalysts for the transesterification of vegetable oil with methanol for the synthesis of biodiesel (fatty acid methyl esters, FAME). The ratio of KF to nano-γ-Al₂O₃, calcination temperature, molar ratio of methanol/oil, transesterification reaction temperature and time, and the concentration of the catalyst were used as the parameters of the study. A methyl ester yield of 97.7 ± 2.14% was obtained under the catalyst preparation and transesterification conditions of KF loading of 15 wt%, calcination temperature of 773 K, 8 h of reaction time at 338 K, and using 3 wt% catalysts and molar ratio of methanol/oil of 15:1. This relatively high conversion of vegetable oil to biodiesel is considered to be associated with the achieved relatively high basicity of the catalyst surface (1.68 mmol/g) and the high surface to volume ratio of the nanoparticles of γ-Al₂O₃.     

The effects of catalysts in biodiesel production: A review

Biodiesel fuel has shown great promise as an alternative to petro-diesel fuel. Biodiesel production is widely conducted through transesterification reaction, catalyzed by homogeneous catalysts or heterogeneous catalysts. The most notable catalyst used in producing biodiesel is the homogeneous alkaline catalyst such as NaOH, KOH, CH₃ONa and CH₃OK. The choice of these catalysts is due to their higher kinetic reaction rates. However because of high cost of refined feedstocks and difficulties associated with use of homogeneous alkaline catalysts to transesterify low quality feedstocks for biodiesel production, development of various heterogeneous catalysts are now on the increase. Development of heterogeneous catalyst such as solid and enzymes catalysts could overcome most of the problems associated with homogeneous catalysts. Therefore this study critically analyzes the effects of different catalysts used for producing biodiesel using findings available in the open literature. Also, this critical review could allow identification of research areas to explore and improve the catalysts performance commonly employed in producing biodiesel fuel.     

酯交换法制备生物柴油研究进展

综述了酯交换法制备生物柴油的国内外重要研究进展,总结了超临界体系、生物酶催化体系、均相催化体系和非均相催化体系制备生物柴油的研究成果,重点讨论了不同催化剂和实验条件对酯交换反应速率和生物柴油产率的影响,分析了不同反应体系存在的一些关键问题,并对酯交换法制备生物柴油的研究方向进行了展望。     

Activity of solid catalysts for biodiesel production: A review

Heterogeneous catalysts are promising for the transesterification reaction of vegetable oils to produce biodiesel. Unlike homogeneous, heterogeneous catalysts are environmentally benign and could be operated in continuous processes. Moreover they can be reused and regenerated. However a high molar ratio of alcohol to oil, large amount of catalyst and high temperature and pressure are required when utilizing heterogeneous catalyst to produce biodiesel. In this paper, the catalytic activity of several solid base and acid catalysts, particularly metal oxides and supported metal oxides, was reviewed. Solid acid catalysts were able to do transesterification and esterification reactions simultaneously and convert oils with high amount of FFA (Free Fatty Acids). However, the reaction rate in the presence of solid base catalysts was faster. The catalyst efficiency depended on several factors such as specific surface area, pore size, pore volume and active site concentration.     

碳酸二甲酯和乙酸苯酯合成碳酸二苯酯催化剂研究进展

综述了碳酸二甲酯和乙酸苯酯合成碳酸二苯酯工艺路线及其反应机理,并对该反应的催化剂体系进行了系统的概述,包括均相催化剂体系(锡和钛的有机化合物等)和多相催化剂体系(MoO3和WO3等金属氧化物)。并分析了以锡、钛以及金属氧化物作催化剂时合成碳酸二苯酯的优势和劣势;指出固载化的有机锡/有机钛与其他金属氧化物的复合化合物是今后碳酸二甲酯和乙酸苯酯合成碳酸二苯酯催化剂的重要研究方向。