Industrial eggshell wastes as the heterogeneous catalysts for microwave-assisted biodiesel production

Published Date
1 August 2012, Vol.190(1):112–116, doi:10.1016/j.cattod.2011.12.024

Author 

P. Khemthong

C. Luadthong

W. Nualpaeng

P. Changsuwan

P. Tongprem

N. Viriya-empikul

K. Faungnawakij 

National Nanotechnology Center (NANOTEC), National Science and Technology, Development Agency, 111 Thailand Science Park, Paholyothin Rd., Patumthani 12120, Thailand

Received 30 September 2011. Revised 29 November 2011. Accepted 1 December 2011. Available online 4 February 2012. 

Abstract

Active biodiesel production catalysts were derived from waste eggshells by simple calcination in air. The physicochemical properties of the activated catalysts were characterized by XRD, N₂ sorption, CO₂-TPD, TGA–DTG, XRF, and SEM, while the catalytic activity was tested in producing biodiesel via transesterification on palm oil with methanol under microwave conditions. The effect of microwave power, reaction time, methanol-to-oil ratio, and catalyst loading was investigated. The experimental results revealed that the catalysts exhibited a high content of CaO (99.2 wt%) with a high density of strong base sites. The catalytic testing demonstrated a remarkable enhancement for biodiesel production using microwaves compared to conventional heating. The maximum yield of fatty acid methyl esters reached 96.7% under the optimal condition of reaction time of 4 min with 900 W microwave power, methanol-to-oil ratio of 18:1, and catalyst loading of 15%. The results indicated that the CaO catalysts derived from eggshells showed good reusability and had high potential to be used as biodiesel production catalysts under microwave-assisted transesterification of palm oil.

Graphical abstract

Highlights

► The industrial eggshell wastes as heterogeneous biodiesel production catalysts. ► Microwave-assisted biodiesel production. ► The strong base site with average basic site density of 194 μmol m⁻². ► Above 96%FAME can be produced within 10 min in microwave process catalyzed by the eggshell-derived catalysts. ► The catalyst is reusable for at least 5 cycles.

Keywords

• Biodiesel production
• Microwave irradiation
• Eggshell
• Palm olein oil
• Fatty acid methyl esters
• CaO

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