SYNTHESIS AND CHARACTERIZATIONS OF NEEDLE- SHAPED CUO NANOPARTICLES.

Abstract

Biodiesel is a green and clean burning alternative fuel for conventional fuels. This study compares the catalytic transesterification of coconut oil by using CuO nanocatalyst with the conventional base catalyst (NaOH). The needle-shaped CuO nanoparticles were synthesized by simple precipitation method. All the characterization studies (UV-Vis, FTIR, XRD, and FESEM with EDX) were proved the formation of CuO nanoparticles. The XRD study revealed the formation of CuO nanostructures with the monoclinic phase. The crystallite size of CuO was estimated to be 48 nm using Debye-Scherrer's formula. The surface morphology of the obtained CuO nanoparticles is needle-like in shape. The conversions of FAMEs were verified by using both FTIR and GCMS analysis. The investigation of producing biodiesel using GC-MS spectroscopy indicated that fatty acids were transformed into corresponding methyl esters. From this study, it has been concluded that CuO nanocatalyst could be a good promising catalyst for the green and eco-friendly production of biodiesel. Copy Right, IJAR, 2016,. All rights reserved.