TRANSESTERIFICATION OF NON-EDIBLE SEEDS OIL TO BIODIESEL USING SOLID BASE GREEN NANO-CATALYSTS

Abstract

This study is confined to identification of ten novel non-edible oil seeds as feedstock for biodiesel- a sustainable alternate of petro diesel. Ten non-edible seeds oils have been studied systematically comprising; collection, morphological identification and SEM studies, estimation analysis of total oil content of seeds, mechanical oil extraction, transesterification of seeds oil to biodiesel, optimization and physico-chemical characterization of synthesized biodiesel and its comparison with international standards. Plants selected as a feed stock in the study include; Brassica oleracea L., Carthamus lanatus L., Carthamus tinctorius L., Carthamus oxycantha M.Bieb., Beaumontia grandiflora (Roxb.) Wall., Acacia concinna (Willd.) DC., Sapindus trifoliatus L., Sesamum indicum L., Ricinus communis L. and Celastrus paniculatus Willd. Three different (single, double and triple metal) Montmorillonite clay-metal composites were synthesized through in-situ wet impregnation method. Sustainability of catalysts was also determined. Synthesized biodiesel was synthesized using analytical techniques like GC-MS and FT-IR. Free fatty acid value estimation revealed that all the selected seeds oils have less than 3 % of FFA content. Thus, require one step transesterification for conversion into biodiesel. Optimization of biodiesel yield was achievied through reaction variables (alcohol:oil, catalyst conc., temperature) for transesterification. Highest biodiesel yield (95%) was reported for Carthamus tinctorius L. using Al-Mmt clay catalyst (1:7 of oil to methanol, 0.2 g of catalyst at 100℃ for 5 hours) followed by Sesamum indicum L. (93%) using Cu-Mg-Zn-Mmt (1:3 of oil to methanol, 0.2 g of catalyst at 90℃ for3 hours). However, the lowest yield was obtained for Ricinus communis L. (85%) with Na-Ag-Mmt (1:3 of oil to methanol, 3 g of catalyst at 110℃ for 6 hours). It is stated that the synthesized clay-metal hybrid catalysts have promising catalytic efficiency and sustainability. Three of the seeds oils i.e. Brassica oleracea L., Carthamus lanatus and Beaumontia grandiflora (Roxb.) Wall. were reported as Novel feedstocks used in this study for biodiesel synthesis. Catalytic efficiency and cost effectiveness of the clay hybrid nanocatalysts makes them a better substitute of other available counterparts. Economical feasibility of the feedstocks is positive and can be used for commercial level biodiesel production. The study further recommends the mass cultivation of non edible feedstock as a feedstock crops for biodiesel production