Synthesis and Characterization of Snail Shell Based Metallic/Bimetallic Oxide Catalysts for Biodiesel Production from Spent Vegetable Oil
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Date
2023-12
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Lead City University
Abstract
The challenges associated with global climate change due to anthropogenic activities (burning of fossil fuels etc.) necessitated the development of clean alternative fuel from domestic or industrial wastes using agricultural waste as catalyst. The study investigated the synthesis of CaO, PEGylated bimetallic oxides (PEG 15%Al2O3/15%Fe2O3/CaO) and metal oxide doped snail shell-based nanocatalysts for the production of biodiesel (FAME) from spent vegetable oil through transesterification process. The catalysts were characterized using FTIR, XRD, SEM and EDX. Optimization was carried out using Box-Behnken Design using three operating parameters; temperature, time and catalyst concentration. FTIR confirms formation of new material by absorption bands disappearance and appearance. XRD showed that all the catalysts are crystalline in nature. SEM shows series of shape (flower-like, rod and spherical morphologies) while EDX reveals the elemental components of the catalysts. The calcined CaO nanocatalyst achieved 96.17% biodiesel yield with catalyst concentration of 1 wt%, reaction temperature of 48.18 °C and reaction time of 90 min, 30%Al2O3/CaO recorded biodiesel yield of 91.21% at 7 wt%, 40 min and 77.27 °C, 30%Fe2O3/CaO achieved 94.13% biodiesel yield at 9.18wt%, 40 min and 99.09 °C, 15%Al2O3/15%Fe2O3/CaO recorded biodiesel yield of 98.11% at 10 wt%, 40 min and 95.45 °C, while PEGylated 15%Al2O3/15%Fe2O3/CaO achieved FAME yield of 97.29% at 1 wt%, 40 min and 120 °C. The GC-MS and FTIR analysis confirmed the formation of biodiesel. The finding of this study shows that the synthesized biodiesel by the catalysts in order of activity; 15%Al2O3/15%Fe2O3/CaO > PEGylated bimetallic oxide> calcined SS > 30%Fe2O3/CaO > 30%Al2O3/CaO is in accordance with ASTM standards. It can be concluded that doping and PEGylation enhances the catalytic activities of the biomass based catalyst, which are cheap, eco friendly and economically viable alternatives for the production of biodiesel.
Keywords: Biodiesel, Biomass, Transesterification, Fuel, Catalyst.
Word Count: 290
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Keywords
Biodiesel, Biomass, Transesterification, Fuel, Catalyst, Synthesis and Characterization of Snail Shell, Based Metallic/Bimetallic Oxide Catalysts, Biodiesel Production, Spent Vegetable Oil
Citation
Kate Turabian