Synthesis of biodiesel from kesambi (Schleichera oleosa L.) oil using carbon nanotube-supported zinc oxide heterogeneous catalyst

Abstract

Multiwall carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs)-supported zinc oxide (ZnO/MWCNTs) heterogeneous catalyst has been prepared using impregnation and gel process. This catalyst has been utilized to synthesize biodiesel via transesterification process from Kesambi (Schleichera oleosa L.) oil (SOO) and methanol. The prepared ZnO/MWCNTs catalyst prior was characterized using the X-ray diffraction (X-RD), Brunauwer-Emmett Teller (BET), and Scanning Electron Microscopy with energy dispersive X-Ray microscopy (SEM-EDX) methods. The transesterification process was performed in a three necks round bottom flask batch type reactor. The influence of several parameters includes reaction time (h) and the amount of catalyst (w/w% of SOO) on biodiesel's yield, were studied. It was found that ZnO/MWCNTs were potentially used as a heterogeneous catalyst for transesterification of kesambi oil. The highest biodiesel yield of 41.9% was achieved at 65 C, 5 h of reaction time, 4% of catalyst amount, and 1:15 of molar ratio SOO to methanol.