Chapter 12 - Nanostructured catalysts in biodiesel production

Abstract

It is an undeniable reality that the continuous decline of fossil fuels is disastrous for the majority of mankind. Access to alternative energy sources becomes critical. Biodiesel is a green fuel made from oil (triglycerides) and methanol, with the use of homogeneous and heterogeneous catalysts. Using homogenous catalysts causes issues such as soap production, difficulty in separating catalysts from the mixture, and greater costs. For biodiesel synthesis, numerous basic or acidic heterogeneous catalysts have been used to overcome these obstacles. However, such catalysts have limitations such as mass transfer resistance, time consumption, rapid deactivation, catalytic process inefficiency, and, most significantly, toxic to the environment. However, by using nanosized metal oxide particles as catalysts, these problems may be avoided. The produced nanoparticles (NPs) with high specific surface area, catalytic activity, and selectivity can address the majority of the esterification and transesterification reaction’s problems. NPs have the potential to improve product quality and achieve optimal operating conditions in such processes. The authors have made an attempt in this study to give an insight into the synthesis of biodiesel with the assistance of nanocatalysts that has been seen, evaluated, and used in recent era.