Catalytic conversion of palm acid oil and bulk cooking oil to biodiesel using Fe/aluminosilicate

Abstract

The conversion of palm acid oil and bulk cooking oil into biodiesel presents considerable opportunities while employing catalysts. The development of effective catalysts, which may improve both esterification and transesterification processes, is essential for optimizing biodiesel production from these feedstocks. This study investigates biodiesel production from a mixture of palm acid oil (PAO) and bulk cooking oil using an Fe/aluminosilicate catalyst synthesized via the wet impregnation method. Fe was derived from iron sand, while geothermal waste was employed as a source of aluminosilicate silica. The optimization of biodiesel conversion was conducted using the Central Composite Design (CCD) approach, with catalyst concentration, reaction temperature, and Fe/aluminosilicate molar ratio as the key variables. Catalyst characterization was performed using SEM-EDX and XRD to analyze its structural and elemental composition. The results indicate that the highest biodiesel conversion of 90.2976% was achieved under the optimal conditions of 2% catalyst concentration, a reaction temperature of 65°C, and an Fe/aluminosilicate molar ratio of 1:12. The findings demonstrate the potential of Fe/aluminosilicate catalysts derived from geothermal waste to improve biodiesel production efficiency while promoting sustainable industrial waste utilization.