Development of novel Ag/bauxite nanocomposite as a heterogeneous catalyst for biodiesel production. (July 2016)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Bet-Moushoul, Elsie; Farhadi, Khalil; Mansourpanah, Yaghoub; Molaie, Rahim; Forough, Mehrdad; Nikbakht, Ali Mohammad
• Is Part Of: Renewable energy. Volume 92(2016)
• Page Start: 12
• Page End: 21
• Publication Date: 2016-07
• Subjects: Bauxite -- Ag nanostructures -- Nanocomposite -- Transesterification -- Biodiesel; BET Brunauer–Emmett–Teller -- CCD central composite design -- DTA differential thermal analysis -- EDX energy disperse X-ray spectroscopy -- FAME fatty acid methyl esters -- FID flame ionization detector -- FT-IR fourier transform infrared spectroscopy -- RSM response surface methodology -- SEM scanning electron microscope -- TGA thermogravimetric analysis -- XRD X-ray diffraction; Renewable energy sources -- Periodicals; Power resources -- Periodicals; Énergies renouvelables -- Périodiques; Ressources énergétiques -- Périodiques; 333.794
• DOI: 10.1016/j.renene.2016.01.070
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0960-1481

Abstract

Abstract: Ag/bauxite nanocomposites have been prepared using in situ reduction of aqueous AgNO3 solution in a bauxite matrix and investigated for the transesterification of sunflower oil with methanol in order to study their potential as heterogeneous catalysts. The prepared nanocopmosites were characterized by XRD, SEM, EDX, FT-IR, and TG- DTA. The Central Composite Design of the Response Surface Methodology was used to optimize the effect of reaction temperature, reaction time, catalyst loading and methanol to oil molar ratio on the yield of fatty acid methyl esters. The highest yield was obtained at 67 °C reaction temperature, 3 h reaction time, 0.3 wt.% catalyst loading and 9:1 methanol to oil molar ratio. Under the optimal conditions, the methyl ester content was 94% and the catalyst successfully reused for at least 7 cycles without significant deactivation. Graphical abstract: Highlights: A novel in situ synthesized bauxite/Ag nanocomposite was applied for tranesterification of sunflower oil. Synthesized Ag nanocomposite was found as rice-shapes with average size of 50 nm. The conversion of 94% was achieved under optimized reaction. The synthesized catalyst was successfully reused and the yield of 71.79% was obtained at the end of 8th cycle.