Biodiesel Production from Waste Plant Oil over a Novel Nano-Catalyst of Li-TiO2/Feldspar

Abstract

A novel Li-impregnated TiO2 catalyst loaded on feldspar mineral (Li-TiO2/feldspar) was synthesized via a wet impregnation method and was characterized using X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) analysis. Using these techniques, it was possible to confirm the catalyst’s structural organization with a high crystallinity. This catalyst was used in the transesterification of five waste plant oils of Citrullus colocynthis (bitter apple), Pongamia pinnata (karanja), Sinapis arvensis (wild mustard), Ricinus communis (castor) and Carthamus oxyacantha (wild safflower). The catalytic tests were performed at temperatures ranging from 40 to 80 °C, employing a variable methanol/ester molar ratio (5:1, 10:1, 15:1, 20:1 and 25:1) and different catalyst concentrations (0.5%, 1%, 1.5%, 2% and 2.5%) relative to the total reactants mass. Conversion of 98.4% of fatty acid methyl esters (FAMEs) was achieved for Pongamia pinnata (karanja). The main fatty acids present in bitter apple, karanja, wild mustard, castor and wild safflower oils were linoleic acid (70.71%), oleic acid (51.92%), erucic acid (41.43%), ricinoleic acid (80.54%) and linoleic acid (75.17%), respectively. Li-TiO2/feldspar produced more than 96% for all the feedstocks. Fuel properties such as iodine value (AV), cetane number (CN), cloud point (CP), iodine value (IV), pour point (PP) and density were within the ranges specified in ASTM D6751.