Release Time:2019-03-09  Hits:

Indexed by: Journal Article

Date of Publication: 2010-03-01

Journal: FUEL PROCESSING TECHNOLOGY

Included Journals: Scopus、EI、SCIE

Volume: 91

Issue: 3

Page Number: 322-328

ISSN: 0378-3820

Key Words: Transesterification; Biodiesel; Solid base catalyst; Sodium silicate

Abstract: This paper examined the use of calcined sodium silicate as a novel solid base catalyst in the transesterification of soybean oil with methanol. The calcined sodium silicate was characterized by DTA-TG, Hammett indicator method, XRD, SEM, BET, IR and FT-IR. It catalyzed the transesterification of soybean oil to biodiesel with a yield of almost 100% under the following conditions: sodium silicate of 3.0 wt.%, a molar ratio of methanol/oil of 7.5:1, reaction time of 60 min. reaction temperature of 60 degrees C, and stirring rate of 250 rpm. The oil containing 4.0 wt.% water or 2.5 wt.% FFA could also be transesterified by using this catalyst. The catalyst can be reused for at least 5 cycles without loss of activity. (C) 2009 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.