Production of biodiesel from waste cooking oil using a novel surface-functionalized CaMoO4/ TiO2 solid catalyst

Abstract

This study involves the synthesis of a mesoporous CaMoO4/ TiO2 solid catalyst through the impregnation method. The catalyst, known for its novelty, efficiency, and recyclability, was thoroughly characterized using various techniques, including Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction (XRD), Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), Energy Dispersive X-ray Analysis (EDAX), Thermogravimetric Analysis (TGA), Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET), and Barrett-Joyner-Halenda (BJH) studies. Waste cooking oil is analysed using FTIR spectroscopy for its free fatty acid content. In addition, the specific catalytic activities are investigated under a variety of reaction conditions. A yield of 95.6 % is achieved under the standard trans esterification reaction operating parameters such as catalyst loading of 4 wt. %, methanol to waste cooking oil molar ratio of 15:1 (v/v), reaction duration of 70 mins, reaction temperature of 55 °C, stirring speed of 270 rpm, and temperature of calcination as 650 °C. The reaction kinetics (pseudo first order) is also studied. Solid catalysts can also be reused up to five successive times. Biodiesel is characterized by FTIR and 1H-NMR studies to examine the presence of functional and methyl ester groups respectively, and the extracted biofuel met the specifications of ASTM D 6751 norms for standard diesel fuel.