TRANSESTERIFICATION OF SOYBEAN OIL WITH METHANOL ON ALUMINA-SUPPORTED CaO CATALYSTS MODIFIED WITH MgO OR ZnO

NAVAS, MARISA B.; RUGGERA, JOSÉ F.; CASELLA, MÓNICA L.

Anales de la Asociación Química Argentina

Asociación Química Argentina

Lugar: Buenos Aires; Año: 2019 vol. 106 p. 70 - 86

2545-8655

In order to study thetransesterification reaction of soybean oil with methanol, γ-Al2O3-supportedCaO, MgO and ZnO catalysts were prepared, as well as mixtures of Mg/Ca andZn/Ca having 0.25, 0.5, 1 and 5 atomic ratios. The catalysts were characterizedusing X-ray diffraction (XRD), N2 physisorption and electron scanningmicroscopy (SEM). The results were consistent in all the cases with mesoporoussolids, with large surface areas, exhibiting the oxide crystalline phase. Mg/Camixed catalysts presented fatty acids methyl esters (FAME) selectivities ofalmost 100%. Nevertheless, no mixture exceeded the FAME yield of the pure MgOcatalyst, which showed a maximum of 57%. Zn/Ca mixed catalysts of 0.25, 0.5 and1 atomic ratios, showed FAME selectivities very close to 100%. A maximum FAMEyield of 37% was obtained with the Zn/Ca catalyst having an atomic ratio of 1