Biochar as porous media for thermally-induced non-catalytic transesterification to synthesize fatty acid ethyl esters from coconut oil

Abstract

This study put great emphasis on evaluating biochar as porous media for the thermally-induced non-catalytic transesterification reaction to synthesize fatty acid ethyl esters (FAEE) from coconut oil. Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) of coconut oil experimentally justified that the bond dissociation of fatty acid from the backbone of triglycerides (TGs) could be achieved, which finding could be applied to the non-catalytic transesterification reaction. To use biochar as porous medium, the surficial morphology of maize residue biochar (MRB) was characterized, revealing that biochar possessed the wider pore size distribution ranging from meso- to macro-pores than SiO2. The highest yield of FAEE from non-catalytic transesterification of coconut oil in the presence of MRB was 87% at 380°C. To further enhance the FAEE yield, further studies associated with the production of FAEE with biochar made from different biomasses and various pyrolytic conditions should be performed.