Citrus limetta-peel mediated sheet- like MgO nano-catalyst for the production of biodiesel from jatropha Oil

Abstract

The present study spotlights on novel green synthesis of Citrus limetta peel mediated sheet like MgO nano-catalyst (CitLim-PE-MgO Nano-catalyst) for biodiesel production from jatropha oil. The average crystalline size of prepared Nano-catalyst was confirmed by XRD analysis and found 24.5 nm. Sheet-like porous morphology was confirmed by FESEM-EDX. Mg and O-atoms were observed with 38.21 and 50.69 wt% at 1.1 keV and 1.3 keV in EDX. This nano-catalyst showed upto 98.20% yield of biodiesel production through transesterification reaction of jatropha oil with methanol at 65 °C with 8 wt% catalyst in 1:9 oil/methanol ratio. The production of biodiesel was confirmed by GC–MS and NMR spectroscopic analysis. The catalyst was recycled and used twice, with slight decrease in catalytic activity due to possible leaching of active components with 92.47% FAME production at optimum condition (65 °C with 8 wt% catalyst in 1:9 oil/methanol ratio); properties of biodiesel was found under international standards.