Application of nano hydrophobic sulfated mordenite as a novel catalyst for biodiesel production from neem seed-derived oil by electrochemical method

Abstract

The sulfated mordenite catalyst was prepared using the impregnation method and underwent modification via sulfation. The hydrophobic sulfated mordenite as a novel catalyst was applied for biodiesel production from neem seed-derived oil (NSDO) by electrochemical method. The impact of various degrees of sulfation and operational parameters were examined, and it was found that Mordenite-0.5 M Sulfated, exhibited the most outstanding performance and was deemed the most suitable catalyst. In this way, the produced catalyst, with its hydrophobic property, caused the polar molecules of methanol and especially water to move away from its surface, and instead by bringing the free fatty acids (FFA) molecules closer to its surface. The catalyst's excellent efficiency resulted in a satisfactory outcome for the reaction under gentle circumstances. The highest efficiency of the process was obtained at 0.85 % with operating conditions of 6 wt% of the catalyst, potential of 10 V, MeOH/NSDO molar ratio of 10:1, and reaction duration of 1 h. The catalyst displayed remarkable performance and reusability, with a mere 15 % decrease in the reaction yield after five consecutive cycles. XRD, BET, FT-IR, EDX-Mapping, and NH3-TPD analyses examined the structure and acidity of the synthesized catalyst. Furthermore, to examine the quality of the biodiesel produced, physicochemical analyses were conducted following the standards set by ASTM. The obtained results were found to be entirely in line with the quality attributes of diesel fuel.