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Synthesis of biodiesel using potassium fluoride (KF) supported by hydrotalcite and process optimization by Box–Behnken design

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Abstract

Biodiesel has been developed using a heterogeneous catalyst potassium fluoride (KF) supported on hydrotalcite (HT) and waste frying oil (WFO) as feedstock. Hydrotalcite was synthesized by co-precipitation method using mixture of Mg(NO3)2·6H2O and Al(NO3)2·9H2O slowly added to a solution containing NaOH and Na2CO3 and calcined at 500 °C. KF was impregnated on hydrotalcite at KF/HT load ratio of 80:100 by addition of a small amount of water. Biodiesel was developed using KF/HT as heterogeneous catalyst by transesterification. Box–Behnken Design using Minitab 15.1 Statistical Software and Design-Expert (Demo version 8.0.6.1) software were used as statistical tool for design of experiments and optimization of fatty acid methyl ester yield. A high yield and conversion of biodiesel was obtained by optimization of variables affecting the reaction. The variables affected the reaction in the priority order of: catalyst amount >> molar ratio (methanol to oil) > reaction time. A 12:1 methanol to WFO molar ratio, 2.5 wt.% of catalyst at 60 °C in 1 h reaction time gave a high fatty acid methyl ester yield of >98 %. The quantitative analysis of the product (i.e., biodiesel) was done on a Fourier-transform-nuclear magnetic resonance spectrometer.

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Acknowledgments

One of the authors, Dr. Bhaskar Singh, is thankful to the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), New Delhi, for the award of the prestigious “Research Associateship.” Authors are thankful to Ms. Karen Dulski, Communications Specialist, Stat-Ease, Inc., 2021 E. Hennepin Ave, Ste. 480 Minneapolis, MN 55413, for providing the trial extension of Design-Expert (version 8) software.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Applied Chemistry, Institute of Technology, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, 221 005, India

    Bhaskar Singh & Yogesh C. Sharma

  2. Department of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Institute of Technology, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, 221 005, India

    Ashish Birla & S. N. Upadhyay

  3. Department of Chemical and Process Engineering, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, UKM Bangi, Selangor, 43600, Malaysia

    Zahira Yaakob

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  1. Bhaskar Singh
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  2. Ashish Birla
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  3. S. N. Upadhyay
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  4. Zahira Yaakob
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  5. Yogesh C. Sharma
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Correspondence to Yogesh C. Sharma.

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Singh, B., Birla, A., Upadhyay, S.N. et al. Synthesis of biodiesel using potassium fluoride (KF) supported by hydrotalcite and process optimization by Box–Behnken design. Biomass Conv. Bioref. 2, 317–325 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13399-012-0059-x

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s13399-012-0059-x

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