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Encapsulated heterogeneous base catalysts onto SBA-15 nanoporous material as highly active catalysts in the transesterification of sunflower oil to biodiesel

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An Erratum to this article was published on 13 June 2015

Abstract

Alkali metals and their hydroxides, Na, NaOH, Li, and LiOH, were encapsulated onto SBA-15 nanoporous material as highly active catalysts for the production of biodiesel fuel from sunflower oil. The incipient wetness impregnation method was adopted for the prepared catalysts. The characterization properties of the catalysts and unmodified SBA-15 were determined using X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, EDAX, nitrogen adsorption–desorption porosimetry (Brunauer–Emmett–Teller), Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, and transmission electron microscopy. Transesterification was conducted in a batch reactor at atmospheric pressure and 65 °C. The catalysts were highly active with yields of fatty acid methyl ester (FAME) in the range 96–99 %. Na/SBA-15 catalyst was reused for seven consecutive cycles under the same reaction conditions; the yield to FAME on the final cycle was 96 %. This study shows that the alkali metals and their hydroxides supported on SBA-15-based catalyst are excellent catalysts for the biodiesel reaction.

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Acknowledgments

The authors are grateful to both the University of Technology, Republic of Iraq, for allowing postdoctoral leave and to Manchester Metropolitan University, United Kingdom, for financial support.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Technology, 52 Alsinaa St., PO Box 35010, Baghdad, Iraq

    Talib M. Albayati

  2. Division of Chemistry and Environmental Science, Manchester Metropolitan University, Chester St., Manchester, M1 5GD, UK

    Aidan M. Doyle

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  1. Talib M. Albayati
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  2. Aidan M. Doyle
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Correspondence to Talib M. Albayati.

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Albayati, T.M., Doyle, A.M. Encapsulated heterogeneous base catalysts onto SBA-15 nanoporous material as highly active catalysts in the transesterification of sunflower oil to biodiesel. J Nanopart Res 17, 109 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11051-015-2924-6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11051-015-2924-6

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