Maximum Biodiesel Yield Research Articles

WITHDRAWN: rGO@CaO/NiO as a bifunctional heterogeneous nanocatalyst for high-quality biodiesel production from degraded waste oil by microwave-assisted: Diesel engine parameters assessment

In this research, a highly effective rGO@CaO/NiO bifunctional nanocatalyst was synthesized and utilized for the generation of biodiesel from degraded waste oil (DWO) through microwave assistance. A comprehensive analysis was conducted to assess the catalyst structure, revealing a notable specific surface area with significant surface characteristics for the rGO@CaO/NiO bifunctional nanocatalyst. The maximum biodiesel yield was achieved 97.46% under optimum conditions including methanol to oil ratio of 11.1 mol/mol, catalyst content of 3 wt.%, microwave time of 7.5 min, and stirring speed of 700 rpm. The catalyst's reusability was demonstrated through multiple cycles, maintaining high stability and consistent biodiesel yield over seven iterations. The activation energy and exponential factor for the conversion of DWO to biodiesel were determined as 30.91 kJ/mol and 2.3×104 min-1, respectively. The physical attributes of DWO-derived biodiesel revealed that they fall within the ASTM D6751 standard range. The impact of adding biodiesel to petrodiesel/biodiesel blends at various torques on the emission of key pollutants (CO, NOx, CO2, and UHC) and engine performance (BP, EGT, BTE, and BSFC) was investigated, yielding promising results. The rGO@CaO/NiO appears as a superior choice for biodiesel production, offering exceptional reusability, and significant biodiesel efficiency achieved within a short reaction time.

Comparative Analysis of Biodiesel Produced from Blends of Palm Kernel Shell and Cocoa Pods Oils with Conventional Diesel Fuel: Characterizations, FTIR, GC-MS, XRD and SEM Analysis of the Nano Catalyst

The uncertainty of predicting the conditions of bio oils for the production of quality biofuels and reusability of catalyst, saving cost of production and time, make characterization of the oils/catalyst imperative. Characterization of bio oils, extracted from palm kernel shell and cocoa pods, the blends, catalyst and biodiesel produced therefrom is investigated. A maximum biodiesel yield of 76.05% was obtained at optimal conditions. Titanuim oxide used proved to be efficient catalyst for converting the oil blends to biodiesel. The established results obtained show kinematic viscosity of 5.65 – 7.78 mm2s-1 @ 40 oC, density of 0.8428 – 0.8642 kg/m3, cloud point of 4.48 – 6.48 oC, fire point of 108 – 150 oC, cetane index of 37.78 – 30.13, acid value of mg KOH/g, API gravity of 32.89 – 29, anicidine point of 50 – 46 oC etc. All the values fell within the recommended ASTM and EN standards. The GC-MS, XRD, EDX, SEM, and FTIR analyses carried out to evaluate the quality of the sample with respect to deterioration, gave an ester percentage of 99.9% for the bio-oil and biodiesel, which is within the minimum standard range of not less than 96.5% recommended. The GC-MS of the blended oil shows that the most prevalent fatty acids identified amongst 13 other distinct compounds were methyl linolenate, methyl palmitate, methyl oleate and methyl eicosadinoate with percentage concentrations of 63.03, 26.9, 8.1 and 2% respectively. The XRD analysis confirmed the titanium oxide anatase structure with a peak of 25.4 degrees. The SEM analysis shows high porosity with high specific surface area of the catalyst at magnification of 80 – 269μm; and the FTIR analysis revealed that the functional groups for the bio-oil and blended biodiesel were in range.

An economic, and environmentally benign Psidium guajava L. leaves catalyst for biodiesel production at room temperature: Process optimization, and life cycle cost analysis

Biodiesel has emerged as a popular alternative to conventional fossil fuel in transportation sector and thus producing low-cost biodiesel is a topic of interest for a large community of researchers. This study reports the preparation of an efficient and robust heterogeneous catalyst from dried Psidium guajava L. (Guava) leaves and its application towards generation of biodiesel from soybean oil at room temperature. The biomass material was calcinated at variable temperature and the efficiency of each of the catalyst prepared was studied. The catalyst generated as well as the product biodiesel was thoroughly characterized using sophisticated analytical techniques. The catalyst was found to have mesoporous structure with active basic sites which contributed towards accelerating the transesterification process. Detailed characterization unveiled the occurrence of Ca as oxide and carbonate, in addition to a certain quantity of K in oxide and carbonate form, which contribute to the catalyst’s activity. Maximum biodiesel yield of 95.8 % was observed for reaction performed under optimum experimental conditions i.e., 1:17 oil-to-methanol ratio, 6 wt% loading of GL-850 (catalyst prepared by calcination at 850°C), and 15 % n-Hexane loading for 3 h at room temperature. GL-850 demonstrated exceptional recyclability for up to the fifth cycle exhibiting a mere 3.7 % decline in yield. The calculated expense for 1 kg catalyst was found to be $0.478, whereas the production cost of 1 kg biodiesel was found to be merely $1.120, indicating a strong economic feasibility of the process.

Kinetics and soft computing evaluation of Linseed oil transesterification via CD-BaCl-IL catalyst

A novel clay-doped ionic liquid and BaCl (CD-BaCl-IL) heterogeneous catalyst for biodiesel synthesis from linseed oil (LSO) was generated after 4 h of calcination at 600°C using Scanning Electron Micrograph (SEM), X-ray Diffraction (XRD), Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET), Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FT-IR) and X-ray fluorescence (XRF) was used to evaluate the catalyst's processability. After optimization using response surface methodology (RSM), the second-order polynomial model was shown in the Analysis of variance (ANOVA) with R2 values of 0.9947, Adj R2 (0.9850), and Pred R2 (0.8594), demonstrating model acceptability. The maximum biodiesel yield (97.097 %) was obtained with 2.6 wt% catalyst, 6 mol/mol methanol/molar ratio, 1.5 h, 50 °C, and 400 rpm agitation. ANFIS predicted biodiesel yield more accurately than ANN (R2 = 0.999, MSE = 0.27594), with the lowest MSE (R2 = 0.99, MSE = 0.00038). Under optimal conditions, this study employed a kinetic model based on two elementary chemical processes: Eley-Rideal (ER) and Langmuir-Hinshelwood-Hougen-Watson (LHHW). The LHHW model accurately described CD-BaCl-IL catalyst experimental data at 50 °C, with favourable parameters, an R2 value of 0.9348, and a variance of 2.61E-8. The surface reaction between adsorbed triglyceride and alcohol dictated the rate-determining step. Temperature increased the rate, indicating an endothermic process. The reaction's activation energy and frequency factor were 10.22 kJ/mol and 6.41 h-1, respectively. Linseed biodiesel met the D6751 criterion.

Kinetics, thermodynamics, and optimization analyses of lipid extraction from discarded beef tallow for bioenergy production

ABSTRACT The wide expansion of the meat industry generated tremendous amounts of animal-based waste. Discarded beef tallow (DBT) is one of those prevalent lipid-rich wastes disposed of by slaughterhouses, meat processing units, and tanneries. The current study utilized the advanced technology of supercritical CO2 (SC-CO2) to extract lipid content from DBT for biodiesel production through transesterification. The effects of SC-CO2 parameters on the extraction rate were investigated over ranges of (32–80°C) for temperature, (10–50 MPa) for pressure, and (15–150 min) for treatment time. Using response surface methodology (RSM), both processes of SC-CO2 and transesterification were optimized. The highest extraction rate was 86.10%, obtained at the experimental conditions of 60°C for temperature, 30 MPa for pressure, and 120 min for treatment time. For the transesterification, the maximum yield of biodiesel was 95.15%, obtained at the reaction conditions of 1:7.5, 1.16 wt%, 58°C, and 72 min for lipid to methanol molar ratio, catalyst ratio, temperature, and time, respectively. The outcomes of the kinetic and thermodynamic analyses showed that the SC-CO2 extraction was an endothermal, unspontaneous, and temperature-dependent process. The characteristics of the synthesized biodiesel largely comply with the ASTM D6751 and EN 14,214 standards. The findings of the current study confirm the viability of SC-CO2 to extract lipids from DBT as a low-cost feedstock for biodiesel production.

An artificial intelligence approach to model and optimize biodiesel production from waste cooking oil using life cycle assessment and market dynamics analysis

Biodiesel has emerged as a viable alternative to fuel, offering a more sustainable and environmentally friendly energy option. The current study explores the modeling and optimization of biodiesel production from waste cooking oil using artificial intelligence and genetic algorithms. The study focuses on enhancing five process parameters: methanol-to-oil molar ratio, catalyst concentration, reaction temperature, reaction time, and stirring speed. The optimization of these parameters is complemented by a life cycle assessment to reduce environmental impact. The approach considers biodiesel yield, high heating value, and energy consumption as output variables, thereby advancing sustainable biodiesel production. The findings indicated that, under optimal conditions (methanol-to-oil ratio of 1:6.9, stirring rate of 500 rpm, reaction duration of 20 s, reaction temperature of 30 °C and catalyst concentration of 1), the transesterification process achieved the maximum biodiesel yield of 97.76 %. The optimization reached a low environmental impact in the production of biodiesel in an efficient way. Additionally, SWOT analysis helps to develop strategic methods that can enhance efficiency and increase competitiveness. The research suggests that, by optimizing the chemical process in biodiesel production, it is possible to achieve a high yield and high heating value of the biofuel, along with feasible environmental mitigation strategies.

A bifunctional catalyst from waste eggshells and its application in biodiesel synthesis from waste cooking oil

Improvement in biofuel synthesis technology could facilitate widespread utilization of biodiesel, and an efficient operation in terms of cost. Catalyst enhancement through mineralization of waste biogenic material is vital for biodiesel production. In this study, biodiesel production was from waste cooking oil (WCO) using a bifunctional catalyst synthesized from waste eggshells and ferric sulfate. The CaO precursor developed from calcined eggshell at 800 °C for 3 h was impregnated with ferric sulfate at a ratio of 1:1. The Bifunctional catalyst synthesized was characterized using an X-ray diffractometer, scanning electron microscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and energy-dispersive X-ray analysis. The bifunctional catalyst was applied in a one-pot reaction of WCO and methanol to produce biodiesel. The reaction was modeled using the Taguchi orthogonal array design to maximize biodiesel production. The heterogeneous catalyst contained Ca (20.7 %), Fe (18.5 %), S (4.5 %), and O (54.8 %). The identified crystalline phases are CaSO4/Fe2O3 and CaSO4.0.5H2O/Fe2O3. A maximum biodiesel yield of 89.94 wt% was observed under the operating conditions of methanol/oil molar of 5:1, time of 45 min, temperature of 70 °C, and catalyst amount of 4 wt%. The reusability of the catalyst was established for (four) 4 cycles without further treatment. The synthesized biodiesel met the standard specifications. Hence, the synthesized catalyst proved effective in the transesterification of oil with a moderately high free fatty acid, thereby the bifunctional catalyst could expedite biodiesel production from waste cooking oil, and this biofuel could serve as fuel in powering diesel engines.

Catalytic performance of hexagonal boron Nitride@ APTS-SO3H as heterogeneous nanocatalyst for biodiesel production

In this study, the synthesis of a new stable hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN) is reported via the combustion of boric acid and urea using a pyrolysis method. The surface of hBN particles was modified and the physical/chemical properties of h-BN-APTS-SO3H were examined by different characterization, confirming the modification of h-BN. The effects of methanol/acid molar ratio, temperature, and amount of catalyst were investigated. The results showed that the optimal conditions for the esterification of palmitic acid were as follows: methanol to a palmitic acid molar ratio of 30:1, a temperature of 50 °C, a catalyst of 300 mg for 5 h, and a maximum yield of biodiesel of 90 % was achieved. Furthermore, the quality parameters of the biodiesel were made according to ASTM methods [ASTM D445: Kinematic viscosity, ASTM D445: Flash-point, ASTM D92: Ash content, ASTM D6751: Density]. Tests indicate that the quality parameters of the prepared biodiesel were within ASTM standards. Significantly, the h-BN@APTS-SO3H(1) catalyst showed excellent stability on repeated reuse and can be recycled several times without much activity loss.

Using NaOH@Graphene oxide-Fe3O4 as a magnetic heterogeneous catalyst for ultrasonic transesterification; experimental and modelling

Burning fossil fuels causes toxic gas emissions to increase, therefore, scientists are trying to find alternative green fuels. One of the important alternative fuels is biodiesel. However, using eco-friendly primary materials is a main factor. Sustainable catalysts should have high performance, good activity, easy separation from reaction cells, and regenerability. In this study, to solve the mentioned problem NaOH@Graphene oxide-Fe3O4 as a magnetic catalyst was used for the first time to generate biodiesel from waste cooking oil. The crystal structure, functional groups, surface area and morphology of catalyst were studied by XRD, FTIR, BET, and FESEM techniques. The response surface methodology based central composite design (RSM-CCD) was used for biodiesel production via ultrasonic technique. The maximum biodiesel yield was 95.88% in the following operation: 10.52:1 molar ratio of methanol to oil, a catalyst weight of 3.76 wt%, a voltage of 49.58 kHz, and a time of 33.29 min. The physiochemical characterization of biodiesel was based to ASTM standard. The magnetic catalyst was high standstill to free fatty acid due to the five cycle’s regeneration. The kinetic study results possess good agreement with first-order kinetics as well as the activation energy and Arrhenius constant are 49.2 kJ/min and 16.47 * 1010 min−1, respectively.

Investigating the impact of alumina nanoparticles in coconut oil distillate biodiesel to lessen emissions in direct injection diesel engine

Petroleum fuels are commonly used for automobiles. However, the continuous depletion and exhaust gas emission causes serious problems. So, there is a need for an alternative eco-friendly fuel. Biodiesel is a type of fuel manufactured through a process called transesterification, which involves converting vegetable oils into a usable form. The process parameters of the transesterification process were optimized using the Taguchi method to achieve maximum biodiesel yield. However, the main problem of biodiesel is its high cost which could be reduced by using low-cost feedstock. To address this challenge, biodiesel (BCFAD) is derived from coconut fatty acid distillate (CFAD), a by-product obtained from refining coconut oil. This work uses BCFAD and BCFAD with Alumina nanoparticles as fuels. Alumina nanoparticles in the mass fraction of 25 ppm, 50 ppm, and 100 ppm are dispersed in BCFAD. The investigation results reveal an increase of 6.5% in brake thermal efficiency for BCFAD with 100 ppm nanoparticles when compared to BCFAD. There is a reduction of 29.29% of hydrocarbon and 34% of Carbon monoxide emissions with BCFAD100 in comparison with diesel. However, there is a marginal increase in NOx emission with the increase in nanoparticles. The heat release rate and cylinder pressure of BCFAD100 are comparable to diesel fuel. It was concluded that the utilization of BCFAD with a nanoparticle dispersion of 100 ppm is suitable for direct use as fuel in diesel engines.

Biodiesel production via simultaneous esterification and transesterification of Periplaneta americana oil with liquid lipase Eversa® transform 2.0

Undeveloped Periplaneta americana oil (acid value 38.32 mg KOH/g) was directly used for one-step production of biodiesel with lipase without acid-pretreatment step for the commercial alkaline process. Biodiesel was produced via simultaneous esterification and transesterification of Periplaneta americana oil in the presence of lipase Eversa® Transform 2.0 (ET2) (12 US$/kg) in solvent-free system. The maximum biodiesel yield of 98.63 % was obtained under the optimized conditions of 32 °C, 8.5 wt.% lipase dosage, 8 h, 6.5/1 methanol/oil molar ratio, and 4 wt.% water. Lipase ET2 was recycled 6 times at > 89.52 % biodiesel yield. Biodiesel yield of 93.94 % was further achieved in a 1 L reactor with 15.08 g/kg lipase/biodiesel. Biodiesel cost was estimated as 589.3 US$/ton. Kinetics study gave activation energy of 24.50 kJ/mol with kinetic Michaelis constant of 1.19 mol/L. The physicochemical properties of biodiesel met both Chinese national and US ASTM standards that could be blended with petro-diesel to be applied in both countries. This study suggests that lipase could directly catalyze waste oils for the production of biodiesel at low temperature.

Synthesis of biofuel from Luffas cylindrical-Dennettia tripetala oil blend (BT40) using catalytic sweet corn stock acidified with iron (III) sulfate (Fe2(SO4)3)

In an attempt to model and optimize the biodiesel production from the binary oil blends, a BTO40 obtained from the mixture of Dennettia tripetala (DTO) and Luffas cylindrical (LCO) oilseeds was employed in a double-stage microwave-assisted batch process (DSMABP). The DTO40 was esterified with iron (III) sulfate (Fe2(SO4)3) and then transesterified with catalyst selectivity between calcined fermented sweet corn stock (CFCS) and calcined non-fermented sweet corn stock (CNFCS). Catalyst characterization was carried out using analyzers, while process modeling and optimization were carried out using statistical tools. The produced biodiesel qualities were evaluated, and the catalyst potential was tested by a catalyst reusability test. Results show that a BTO40 was suitable for maximum biodiesel yield of 98.92% (wt./wt.) with HHV of 43.84 MJ/kg, CN of 79.73, flash point of 120 °C, cloud point of -3 °C, pour point of -6 °C, cold filter plugging point of +2 °C, oxidative stability of 4.6 h, and carbon residue of 0.02% nm. The statistical modeling and optimization by RSMI-Optimal predicted a mean value of biodiesel to be 99.28% (wt./wt.), the ANNGA predicted a mean biodiesel yield of 99.78% (wt./wt.), and γGCFW predicted 99.82% (wt./wt.), respectively, at different variable conditions. These values were validated in triplicate, and the average means were obtained as 98.57% (wt./wt.), 99.69% (wt./wt.), and 99.71% (wt./wt.), respectively. Catalyst usability tests show DFSCS has high alkali potential as a base catalyst. The produced biodiesel properties are in total agreement with the recommended biodiesel standard. The study concluded that BTO40 treated with a 0.1 M Fe2(SO4)3 solution in a base-catalyzed calcined fermented sweet corn stock for biodiesel synthesis can be used as an alternative fuel.

Efficient production of biodiesel from palm fatty acid distillate using a novel hydrochar-based solid acid catalyst derived from palm leaf waste

To combat fuel shortages, pollution, and the exhaustion of natural oil resources, an environmentally friendly alternative to fossil fuels, such as biodiesel, is essential for meeting global transportation demands. A novel heterogeneous acid catalyst for production of biodiesel from low-cost, high free fatty acid feedstocks was synthesized in this study by activating and impregnating hydrochar from palm leaf (PL) waste with H3PO4 and H2SO4. Subsequently, the sulfonated catalyst was utilized for the esterification of palm fatty acid distillate (PFAD). FT-IR, XRD, FESEM, EDX, BET, TGA, and surface acidity methods were employed to characterize the acid catalyst. Using the one-variable-at-a-time (OVAT) technique, the optimized reaction conditions for esterification of PFAD using the hydrochar-based catalyst were 4 wt% catalyst loading, 353.15 K reaction temperature, 4 h reaction time, and 18:1 methanol: PFAD molar ratio. At these conditions, a maximum biodiesel yield of 93.56% was achieved. The catalyst exhibited excellent reusability and stability throughout five reaction cycles, maintaining biodiesel yields above 80% after each cycle. Analysis of the fuel properties revealed that the biodiesel derived from PFAD met the physiochemical criteria outlined in ASTM D6751, the American biodiesel standard. The kinetic study revealed that the esterification reaction followed pseudo-first-order kinetics with an activation energy (Ea) of 23.70 kJ/mol. Furthermore, the thermodynamic enthalpy (∆H*) and Gibbs' free energy (∆G*) of esterification were 20.9 and 33.41 kJ/mol, respectively, indicating that the reaction was an endothermic and non-spontaneous process.

Production and testing of mahua oil-based biodiesel synthesized through heterogeneous catalyst using experimental and numerical method.

A two-step treatment of mahua oil was conducted to synthesize mahua biodiesel using heterogeneous biomass-based catalyst derived from mahua shell. Mahua oil having higher free fatty acid (FFA) content (about 19%) was esterified to reduce the FFA content up to 1%. The esterification process was carried out using 200mL mahua oil, 5:1 molar ratio (methanol:oil), and 2.25 weight% of H2SO4 at a temperature of 60°C for 3h. Post esterification, a set of 16 experiments were created using a Box-Behnken design (BBD)-based response surface methodology (RSM) approach to conduct the transesterification of the esterified oil. Molar ratio, catalyst loading, reaction temperature, and reaction time were the four input variables chosen for the design of experiments. The optimized conditions for maximum biodiesel yield (87.7%) were found to be 14.88 molar ratio, 3.578% catalyst loading, 69.7°C reaction temperature, and 81.9min reaction time. The Diesel RK engine simulation tool which was experimentally validated for baseline diesel fuel was used for numerical simulation of mahua biodiesel. The performance, combustion, and emission behavior of mahua biodiesel analyzed using numerical simulation presented the sustainability of mahua biodiesel as an alternate fuel.

A Circular Economy Approach to Convert Waste Dairy Scum Oil into Biodiesel for the Development of Sustainable Environment

The present study is an effort to examine a technique for evaluating the expenses associated with the production of biodiesel from waste dairy scum oil in Pakistan, to create an economic assessment of this option. A survey was conducted on ten dairies in Gujrat to encourage them participation in the biodiesel supply chain. The survey aimed to collect data on waste dairy scum creation, disposal methods and quantity, as well as purchase cost. The waste dairy scum oil was extracted by solvent extraction method. Acetone solvent has been used to extract the waste dairy scum oil. A two-step acid treatment was done to reduce the FFA value of WDSO from 4.6 to 0.98 mg KOH/g. The independent variables of the transesterification process parameters including catalyst concentration, methanol to oil ratio, temperature, speed, and reaction time were kept 0.25 w/w, 8.50:1, 57.50℃, 600 rpm, and 1h respectively. The maximum biodiesel yield at these operating parameters was observed 93%. The economic feasibility of the conversion of WDSO into biodiesel was assessed using the information obtained from the surveys conducted by the different dairy’s owners. Approximately 70% of diaries produced scum and wanted to convert this waste dairy scum into biodiesel. The net biodiesel production cost was found to be 171 rupees. The logistic cost of biodiesel produced from the WDSO was found to be 22 rupees. The overall cost of 1L biodiesel would be 193 rupees. A two-way sensitivity analysis was performed to determine the profit of the conversion of the WDSO into biodiesel. The environmental analysis revealed that the emissions like CO, HC, and NOx significantly reduced during the combustion of biodiesel as compared to conventional diesel.

Synthesis of biodiesel from the composite oil and process parameters optimization using artificial neural network

This study aims to investigate the effect of catalyst utilization (wt%), methanol to composite oil molar ratio (mole) and reaction thermal state (°C) on the biodiesel yield percentage of transesterification of novel composite oil (equal volume % of Castor oil, Mahua oil and dairy waste scum oil). Artificial neural network (ANN) based on central composite design was implemented to investigate the influence of catalyst utilization (1–3 wt%), methanol to composite oil molar ratio (6–12 molar) and reaction thermal state (55–65 °C) as the independent variables. Levenberg-Marquardt algorithm was used to predict the responses, biodiesel yield %. The fairness of the ANN prediction of biodiesel yield % is tested by means of coefficients of determination of training phase, validation set, test set and combined training, validation and test. The results revealed that the optimum catalyst utilization, methanol to composite oil molar ratio and reaction thermal state were determined as 3 wt%, 9 molar, and 65 °C for the maximum biodiesel yield of 94 ± 1% from the composite oil. The ASTM D6751 standard is employed to assess the quality of biodiesel derived from a blend of oils. The findings of this study indicate that the newly developed mixed oil is a viable feedstock for the production of biodiesel.

Carbonaceous catalysts (biochar and activated carbon) from agricultural residues and their application in production of biodiesel: A review

Carbonaceous catalysts obtained from agricultural residue could have potential in the production of biofuels such as biodiesel. This review paper discusses the preparation conditions (temperature, heating rate, hold time, inert gas flow rate, etc play key roles in development of textural characteristics of the catalysts) and functionalization methods of biochar and activated carbon derived from agricultural residues and their application to produce biodiesel. Research works reported in achieving maximum yield of biodiesel in terms of variable precursors, alcohol-to-oil ratio, reaction time and temperatures have been profoundly tabulated. Effect of textural properties of the biochar and activated carbon (such as surface area, total pore volume, average pore size, and functional group attached with the catalyst) on the biodiesel yield are examined. Studies on Regeneration and reusing of the spent catalysts are carefully inspected. The economic evaluation studies for the biochar and activated carbon and the applications of these for biodiesel production are scrutinized. Finally, the strategies to increase biomass and catalyst productivity, future prospect and research directions to enhance biofuel/biodiesel production and for the development of biochar and activated carbon from agricultural residues for sustainable biodiesel production is suggested.

Ultrasonic-assisted biodiesel generation from waste chicken fat utilizing a novel and reusable Ce-doped Fe2O3 nanocatalyst: Optimization by CCD, kinetics, and nano-additive on emissions and performance of a diesel engine

The present study aimed at the fabrication of an efficient nanocatalyst utilizing cerium doped on hematite (Ce-doped Fe2O3) as a highly reactive catalyst in biodiesel generation from waste chicken fat (WCF) under ultrasonication and also as nano-additive to improve diesel engine features. The surface features of Fe2O3 and Ce@Fe2O3 nanoparticles were investigated utilizing several analyses. The characterization outcomes demonstrated that the Ce element was successfully incorporated into the Fe2O3 structure. RSM-assisted experimental design was utilized to optimize effective parameters on biodiesel efficiency. According to the CCD results, the maximum biodiesel yield employing Fe2O3 and Ce-doped Fe2O3 nanocatalysts was 91.57% and 95.38%, respectively, which were obtained after 30 min of ultrasonic irradiation time. Also, various proportions of petrodiesel and biodiesel as well as adding Ce@Fe2O3 nanoparticles to the fuel blend at different torques (20–100%) were tested on diesel engine parameters. The outcomes revealed that adding biodiesel to petrodiesel diminished CO (10.02%) and UHC (6.34%). Further, increasing biodiesel content in the fuel composition enhanced BSFC (8.29%) and EGT (14.17%) parameters and declined BTE (13.37%). Besides, increasing the percentage of torque enhanced EGT and BTE and reduced BSFC. Also, adding Ce@Fe2O3 nanoparticles to biodiesel/diesel blends reduced CO, NOx, and UHC concentrations, and enhanced BTE and BSFC values. Kinetic and thermodynamic analyses reveal that the transesterification reaction is first-order and endothermic. Furthermore, the activation energy for biodiesel generation using Fe2O3 and Ce-doped Fe2O3 nanocatalysts were attained at 46.61 and 46.58 kJ/mol, respectively, which are considerable amounts. Besides, the reusability investigation showed that Ce-doped Fe2O3 nanoparticles have high stability, so that after the 7th cycle, the biodiesel yield was 87.26% (only a 7.5% decrease in efficiency). Generally, owing to unique features including high catalytic performance, considerable reusability, and high biodiesel yield, Ce-doped Fe2O3 nanoparticles are highly recommended for industrial applications.

Metal–organic framework‐supported hydroxyapatite (UiO‐66@HAp): an efficient catalyst for the microwave‐assisted transesterification of palm oil

AbstractBiodiesel has recently emerged as a renewable and environmentally benign fuel substitute for fossil‐derived energy sources. The use of heterogeneous solid catalysts for the generation of biodiesel from biomass‐derived fats and oils is sustainable. Among various reported catalyst supports, metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) have been popular choices for enhancing catalytic activity for biodiesel synthesis because of several outstanding features including porosity, high surface area, adjustable structures, and uniform pore sizes. In this research, the authors synthesized a novel nanocomposite of MOF‐supported hydroxyapatite (UiO‐66@HAp) using a facile impregnation technique and the characterization of the as‐synthesized catalyst was performed by different spectroscopic methods including powder X‐ray diffraction (PXRD), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR), X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), field emission gun‐scanning electron microscope (FEG‐SEM), energy dispersive X‐ray spectroscopy (EDS), high resolution transmission electron microscopy (HR‐TEM), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), and N2 adsorption–desorption techniques. After successful synthesis, the catalytic property of the prepared material was evaluated in the palm oil transesterification into biodiesel. Product formation was confirmed by the 1H nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy, 13C NMR, FTIR, and gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS) of the biodiesel. The influence of different reaction variables such as catalyst dosage, methanol/oil molar ratio, temperature of the reaction, and reaction time was also studied. The outcomes revealed that the maximum biodiesel yield (∼97%) was obtained when 6 wt% catalyst was used with a 6:1 ratio of methanol/oil at 70 °C for 1 h. It was also observed that, even after 5 cycles of reuse, the catalyst was capable of producing significant amounts of biodiesel (over 90%). The results suggest that the synthesized novel catalyst holds a promising future in the sustainable production of biodiesel.

Optimization of culture conditions of Scenedesmus sp. algae and catalytic performance of a NiFe2O4@SiO2/MgO magnetic nano-catalyst for biodiesel production.

This study aims to optimize the lipid content of Scenedesmus sp. for high-yield biodiesel production. Three factors affecting the culture conditions, namely salinity, nitrogen concentration, and light intensity, were selected and their effects on the maximum lipid content were investigated using the Box Behnken design. The results showed that the maximum lipid content (32.7% of algal dry weight) was obtained in the algal samples cultured under the optimized conditions. A core-shell magnetic nano-catalyst, NiFe2O4@SiO2/MgO, was synthesized and used to produce biodiesel via the transesterification reaction. The nano-catalyst was characterized by field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM), energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS), X-ray powder diffraction analysis (XRD), vibrating sample magnetometry (VSM), elemental mapping techniques, transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR). Using the Box Behnken design and keeping the temperature constant, the molar ratio of methanol to oil, the amount of catalyst, and the time were optimized to achieve the maximum yield of biodiesel. The maximum yield of biodiesel was 95.3% under the optimal conditions.