Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Transesterification of Soybean Oil Over Me/Al2O3 (Me = Na, Ba, Ca, and K) Catalysts and Monolith K/Al2O3-Cordierite

  • Original Paper
  • Published:
Topics in Catalysis Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Four different Me/Al2O3 (Me = Na, Ba, Ca, and K) powder catalysts prepared by incipient-wetness impregnation, and a K/Al2O3-cordierite monolithic catalyst produced by the dipcoating technique were used for biodiesel production. The samples were characterized and studied in the transesterification of soybean oil with methanol at 120 °C and 500 rpm, with a alcohol/oil molar ratio = 32, and a catalyst load = 1 wt% for the powder catalyst and 0.5 wt% for the monolith. The Ca/Al2O3, Na/Al2O3 and K/Al2O3 powder catalysts reported a FAME (fatty acid methyl esters) formation of 94.7, 97.1, and 98.9% respectively after 6 h of reaction. On the other hand, Ba/Al2O3 showed little activity (7.6%). The leaching of the alkali and alkaline earth metal species during reaction was important, what indicates that the activity could be explained in terms of a homogeneous–heterogeneous catalyst effect. When the monolithic sample and the powder catalyst were compared (under identical reaction conditions), the production of FAME for the latter was 89.5–59.1% for the monolithic catalyst. After two consecutive runs, the monolithic catalyst presented a partial deactivation of 8% in the FAME yield. The present work shows that the use of monolithic catalysts in the transesterification of vegetable oils is a viable alternative.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Gerpen JV (2005) Fuel Process Technol 86:1097

    Article  Google Scholar 

  2. Srivastava A (2000) Renew Sustain Energ Rev 4:111

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  3. Marchetti JM, Miguel VU, Errazu AF (2007) Renew Sustain Energ Rev 11:1300

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  4. Knothe G, Krahl J, Van Gerpen J (2005) The biodiesel handbook. AOCS Press, ISBN 1-893997-79-0

  5. Vicente G, Martínes M, Aracil J (2004) Biores Technol 92:297

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  6. Ma F, Hanna MA (1999) Biores Technol 70:1

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  7. Fukuda H, Kondo A, Noda HJ (2001) J Biosci Bioeng 92:405

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  8. Canakci M, Van Gerpen J (2003) Trans ASAE 42:1203

    Google Scholar 

  9. Canakci M, Van Gerpen J (2001) Trans ASAE 44:1429

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  10. Zhang Y, Dubé MA, McLean DD, Kates M (2003) Biores Technol 89:1

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  11. Zheng S, Kates M, Dubé MA, McLean DD (2006) Biomass Bioenerg 30:267

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  12. Xie W, Li H (2006) J Mol Catal A 255:1

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  13. Kim H, Kang B, Kim M, Park Y, Kim D, Lee J, Lee K (2004) Catal Today 93–95:315

    Article  Google Scholar 

  14. Peterson GR, Scarrah WP (1984) J Am Oils Chem Soc 61:1593

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  15. Noiroj K, Intarapong P, Luengnaruemitchai A, Jai-In S (2009) Renew Energ 34:1145

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  16. Boz N, Kara M (2009) Chem Eng Comm 1:80

    Article  Google Scholar 

  17. Kaieda M, Samukawa T, Matsumoto T, Ban K, Kondo A, Shimada Y, Noda H et al (1999) J Biosci Bioeng 88:627

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  18. Nelson LA, Foglia TA, Marmer WN (1996) J Am Oils Chem Soc 73:1191

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  19. Watanabe Y, Shimada Y, Sugihara A, Noda H, Fukuda H, Tominaga Y (2000) J Am Oils Chem Soc 77:355

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  20. Saka S, Kusdiana D (2001) Fuel 80:225

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  21. Warabi Y, Kusdiana D, Saka S (2004) Biores Technol 91:283

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  22. Kusdiana D, Saka S (2001) Fuel 80:693

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  23. Marchetti JM, Miguel VU, Errazu AF (2008) Fuel Process Technol 89:740

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  24. Marchetti JM, Errazu AF (2008) Energ Convers Manag 49:2160

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  25. Kreutzer M, Kapteijn F, Moulijn J (2006) Catal Today 111:111

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  26. Pérez-Cadenas A, Zieverink M, Kapteijn F, Moulijn J (2005) Catal Today 105:623

    Article  Google Scholar 

  27. Avila P, Montes M, Miró E (2005) Chem Eng J 109:11

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  28. Yasaki S, Yoshino Y, Ihara K, Ohkubo K (1993) US Patent 5,208,206

  29. Cabrejas Manchado M, Guil J, Perez Masia M, Ruiz Paniego A, Trejo Menayo J (1994) Langmuir 10:685

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  30. Morterra C, Magnacca G (1996) Catal Today 27:497

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  31. De Beer V, Van der Aalst A, Machiels C, Schuit G (1978) J Catal 43:78

    Google Scholar 

  32. Fierro J, Lopez-Agudo A, Tejuca L (1985) J Chem Soc Faraday Trans 81:1203

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  33. Morterra C, Magnacca G, Cerrato G, Del Favero N, Filippi F, Folonari C (1993) J Chem Soc Faraday Trans 89:135

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  34. Lavalley J (1996) Catal Today 27:377

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  35. Sánchez MJ, Tonetto G, González Bello O, Montes M, Damiani D (2009) Catal Comm 10:1446

    Article  Google Scholar 

  36. Liu X, He H, Wang Y, Zhu S, Piao X (2008) Fuel 87:216

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  37. Lukic I, Krstic J, Jovanovic D, Skala D (2009) Bioresour Technol 100:4690

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  38. Boz N, Degirmenbasi N, Kalyon D (2009) Appl Catal B 89:590

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  39. Benjapornkulaphong S, Ngamcharussrivichai C, Bunyakiat K (2009) Chem Eng J 145:468

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  40. Martín Alonso D, Mariscal R, Moreno-Tost R, Zafra Poves MD, López Granados M (2007) Catal Commun 8:2074

    Article  Google Scholar 

  41. Arzamendi G, Campo I, Arguiñarena E, Sánchez M, Montes M, Gandía LM (2007) Chem Eng J 134:123

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  42. Zabeti M, Daud W, Aroua M (2009) Appl Catal A 366:154

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  43. Albuquerque M, Jimenez-Urbistondo M, Santamarıa-Gonzalez J, Merida-Robles J, Moreno-Tost R, Rodrıguez-Castellon R, Jimenez-Lopez A, Azevedo D, Cavalcante C Jr, Maireles-Torres P (2008) Appl Catal A 334:35

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  44. D’Cruz A, Kulkarni M, Meher L, Dalai A (2007) J Am Oil Chem Soc 84:937

    Article  Google Scholar 

  45. Gotch A, Reeder A, McCormick A (2008) J Undergr Chem Res 4:58

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

The authors thank the Agencia Nacional de Promoción Científica y Tecnológica (National Agency of Scientific and Technological Promotion, Argentina) and the Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas [National Council for Scientific and Technological Research (CONICET)]for the financial support. JMM would like to thank the NTNU for giving him the time to work on this project.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Planta Piloto De Ingeniería Química PLAPIQUI (UNS-CONICET), Camino La Carrindanga Km 7, CC 717, CP 8000, Bahía Blanca, Argentina

    Gabriela M. Tonetto

  2. Chemical Engineering Department, University of Science and Technology Trondheim, Sem Sealands v. 4 NO-7491, Trondheim, Norway

    Jorge M. Marchetti

Authors
  1. Gabriela M. Tonetto
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Jorge M. Marchetti
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Gabriela M. Tonetto.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Tonetto, G.M., Marchetti, J.M. Transesterification of Soybean Oil Over Me/Al2O3 (Me = Na, Ba, Ca, and K) Catalysts and Monolith K/Al2O3-Cordierite. Top Catal 53, 755–762 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11244-010-9459-y

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11244-010-9459-y

Keywords

Search

Navigation