Transesterification of Camelina Sativa Oil Using Heterogeneous Metal Oxide Catalysts

Abstract

Camelina sativa oil provides a reliable solution for biodiesel production by providing a sustainable, low-input biofuel feedstock option in some climates. In the present study, optimization of the transesterification of camelina sativa oil using different heterogeneous metal oxide catalysts, i.e., BaO, SrO, MgO, and CaO, was evaluated. The results of comparative experiments showed that the most effective catalyst was 1 wt % BaO, which showed an >80% yield of camelina to biodiesel conversion in 3 h at 100 °C. The relative order of the effectiveness of the catalysts was BaO > SrO > CaO > MgO. These catalysts were characterized with X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and Brunauer−Emmett−Teller (BET) to obtain their physical and chemical properties. The important variables affecting the methyl ester yield during the transesterification reaction are the molar ratio of alcohol/oil, catalyst amount, and reaction temperature. The fuel properties of biodiesel produced were compared to American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) standards for biodiesel.