Synthesis, Characterization And Activity Of Mixed Metal Oxide (Mg, Zn, Al) Catalysts For Transesterification Of Waste Cooking Palm Oil, Edible And Non-Edible Oils
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Date
2012-04
Authors
Olutoye, Moses Aderemi
Journal Title
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Publisher
Universiti Sains Malaysia
Abstract
Biodiesel, also known as fatty acid methyl esters (FAME), is an alternative fuel that could be obtained by homogeneous or heterogeneous catalytic processes. It is renewable and its combustion is environment friendly compared to fossil (crude petroleum). This research focused on the development and synthesis of solid catalyst from combination of some metals to produce composite catalyst with KyMg1-xZn1+xAl(2-y)/3O3 (at y = 0 and 0.1≤ x ≤0.9) suitable to produce FAME from different vegetable oils-edible and non-edible sources (refined palm oil (RPO), waste cooking palm oil (WCPO), coconut oil (CCO), palm kernel oil (PKO) and crude jatropha oil (CJO)) most specifically from palm oil since Malaysia is one of the world’s largest producer and it’s available in commercial quantity. The synthesized catalyst with an enhanced activity in transesterification was developed and prepared by co-precipitation of the mixed metal hydroxides from their nitrates compounds achieved in three stages named as catalyst 1 (KyMg1-xZn1+xO3), catalyst 2 (Mg1-xZn1+xO2) and catalyst 3 (Mg1-xZn1+xAl(2-y)/3O3). All the catalysts were subjected to heat treatment at 460 ± 1 oC for 4.41 h. Insights to the catalyst performance was obtained from characterization for its textural properties, surface scanning electron microscopy (SEM) for microstructure and surface morphology and, X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Fourier Transformed Infra Red (FTIR) for structural and functional groups analysis, respectively. The analysis revealed that the developed catalysts proved to be effective in transesterification with FAME yields of 87 % for catalyst 1 using RPO, 87 % and 83 % for catalyst 2 using WCPO and RPO, respectively. However, high value of leaching for catalyst 1(13 %), low yield and low surface area (9.67 m2/g) for catalyst 2 make further modification imperative. Catalyst 3 performed better when Al was incorporated with improved surface area, tolerable leaching of 1-2 % and FAME yield of 94 % for non-edible, high fatty acid and moisture content CJO in one-batch synthesis. The amphoteric nature of catalyst 3 with inclusion of Al in the composite is responsible for its high performance and it is reusable over five cycles.
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Keywords
Synthesis, characterization and activity of mixed metal oxide (Mg, Zn, Al) catalysts , for transesterification of waste cooking palm oil, edible and non-edible