Transesterification of soybean and castor oil with methanol and butanol using heterogeneous basic catalysts to obtain biodiesel

• Published in: Chemical engineering science Vol. 187; pp. 444 - 454
• Main Authors: Navas, Marisa B., Lick, Ileana D., Bolla, Patricia A., Casella, Mónica L., Ruggera, José F.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier Ltd 21.09.2018
• Subjects: Biodiesel; Castor oil; Heterogeneous catalysts; Mixed metal oxide; Soybean oil; Transesterification; Transesterification; Heterogeneous catalysts; Mixed metal oxide; Soybean oil; Castor oil; Biodiesel
• ISSN: 0009-2509; 1873-4405
• DOI: 10.1016/j.ces.2018.04.068

[Display omitted] •Transesterification reaction of soybean and castor oil using solid base catalyst.•Higher selectivity to fatty acid esters when butanol was used instead of methanol.•MgO/γ-Al2O3 catalyst showed more than 97% to FABE yield with castor oil.•More than 85% of FABE yield was achieved with ZnO/γ-Al2O3 and castor oil. This paper focuses on the preparation and characterization of CaO, MgO and ZnO, both bulk and supported on γ-Al2O3 and their catalytic activity in the transesterification of soybean oil and castor oil with methanol and butanol in order to produce biodiesel. XRD, SEM, CO2-adsorption followed by TGA and N2 adsorption have been employed to characterize the prepared catalysts. In supported catalysts, the presence of γ-Al2O3 improves alcohol dissociation on the superficial basic sites. The first step of the reaction mechanism is then favored (hydrogen abstraction). In the transesterification of castor oil with butanol, MgO/γ -Al2O3 and ZnO/γ-Al2O3 catalysts showed high yields to FABE (Fatty Acid Butyl Ester) (97% and 85%, respectively). These last catalysts constitute an efficient alternative for obtaining second-generation biodiesel, taking into account that castor oil is a nonedible source and butanol is an alcohol that can be obtained from biomass.