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Clean synthesis of biodiesel over solid acid catalysts of sulfonated mesopolymers

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Abstract

FDU-15-SO3H, a solid acid material prepared from the sulfonation of FDU-15 mesoporous polymer, has been demonstrated to serve as an efficient catalyst in the esterification of palmitic acid with methanol as well as in the transesterification of fatty acid-edible oil mixture. FDU-15-SO3H achieved an acid conversion of 99.0% when the esterification was carried out at 343 K with a methanol/palmitic acid molar ratio of 6:1 and 5 wt% catalyst loading. It was capable of giving 99.0% yield of fatty acid methyl esters (FAME) when the transesterification of soybean oil was performed at 413 K and the methanol/oil weight ratio of 1:1. FDU-15-SO3H was further applied to the transesterification/esterification of the oil mixtures with a varying ratio of soybean oil to palmitic acid, which simulated the feedstock with a high content of free fatty acids. The yield of FAME reached 95% for the oil mixtures containing 30 wt% palmitic acid. This indicated the sulfonated mesopolymer was a potential catalyst for clean synthesis of fuel alternative of biodiesel from the waste oil without further purification.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Shanghai Key Laboratory of Green Chemistry and Chemical Processes, East China Normal University, Shanghai, 200062, China

    Lin Fang, Rong Xing, HaiHong Wu, XiaoHong Li, YueMing Liu & Peng Wu

  2. Department of Chemistry, East China Normal University, Shanghai, 200062, China

    Lin Fang, Rong Xing, HaiHong Wu, XiaoHong Li, YueMing Liu & Peng Wu

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  1. Lin Fang
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  2. Rong Xing
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  3. HaiHong Wu
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  4. XiaoHong Li
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  5. YueMing Liu
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  6. Peng Wu
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Correspondence to HaiHong Wu.

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Fang, L., Xing, R., Wu, H. et al. Clean synthesis of biodiesel over solid acid catalysts of sulfonated mesopolymers. Sci. China Chem. 53, 1481–1486 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11426-010-3206-x

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11426-010-3206-x

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