Trans-esterification of triglycerides with methanol on sulfated zirconia prepared with different concentration of sulfuric acid

Abstract

Biodiesel derived from vegetable oils is renewable and environmentally friendly than those of petroleum diesel. Currently most of the biodiesel is produced using homogeneous catalysts which are corrosive and non-reusable, leading to an increased cost and causing environmental problems. Alternatively, heterogeneous catalysts are being considered over homogeneous catalysts. Trans-esterification of triacetin with methanol was studied over sulfated zirconia which was prepared with different concentrations of sulfuric acid. Liquid-phase reaction was performed at 60°C for 8 hours using a stirred batch reactor. IR-pyridine was used to characterize the acid sites concentration and strength of the solid catalyst. Conversion of triacetin was about 69% on sulfated zirconia modified with 2M sulfuric acid. The conversion of triacetin was improved due to an increased in the amount of acid sites. The acidity of the sulfated zirconia has significantly affected the catalytic activity in the trans-esterification of triacetin.