Biofuels production from weed biomass using nanocatalyst technology

Abstract

In the current scenario of climate change, the search for alternative energy sources is very important to reduce the use of fossil fuels. Undesired biomass (weed) from agricultural fields can be used to produce biofuels through nano catalysts enhanced gasification and process. Lignocellulosic part of weedy plants represents a potential alternative feedstock for economic production of bioethanol. Large numbers of weedy plant species are growing all over the world. However, high energy requirements and poor-quality biofuel products are the major constraints for utilization of this technology. Nanomaterials could be used as a catalyst to enhance the energy use efficiency and product quality. So, present study was conducted to produce bio-gas, bio-diesel and bio-char from mixed weed biomass of weeds like Carthamous oxyacantha, Asphodelus tenuifolius and Chenopodium album through gasification process using nano-materials as catalysts. Nickel and cobalt nano-particles were used as nano-catalysts to expedite the bio-chemical reactions for the generation of these products at lower temperatures i.e. (400 C°) in a muffle furnace. Further, these products were characterized using GC-MS analysis. It was observed that biodiesel contained 65.47% esters, which indicates its better quality than the normally produced biodiesel having 15–20% esters contents. Similarly, GC-MS analysis of biogas produced from mixed weed biomass showed 3.76% Methane, 8.32% Propane, 50.16% Ethene, 3.12% Propyne and 34.64% Methanol. The present results clearly exhibited the improved product quality and better energy use efficiency in gasification of weed biomass for bioenergy production.