Production of biodiesel from waste cooking oil and non-edible M. oleifera oil utilizing a CaO/CuFe₂O₄/LaTiO₃ Perovskite@Na bifunctional heterogeneous nanocatalyst
Rauf Foroutan, Mahsa Foroughi, Abolfazl Tutunchi, Bahman Ramavandi, Daniel Terrón, Marta Pazos
Abstract
ABSTRACT In this study, CaO derived from eggshell waste was modified with magnetic nanoparticles (CuFe₂O₄) and LaTiO₃ Perovskite@Na to serve as a bifunctional magnetic nanocatalyst for biodiesel synthesis from Moringa oleifera oil (MoO) and waste cooking oil (WCO). The nanocatalyst demonstrated specific surface area and magnetic saturation of 19.059 m²/g and 12.501 emu/g, respectively, with XRD and AFM analyses indicating a crystalline structure with rough surface texture. The study utilized response surface methodology-central composite design (RSM-CCD) to optimize critical independent variables, such as nanocatalyst concentration, reaction time, methanol-to-oil ratio, and reaction temperature, with the goal of maximizing biodiesel yield. The second-order polynomial model showed high accuracy in predicting biodiesel yield, with strong F-values, low p-values, and minimal Lack of Fit errors. Optimal conditions for biodiesel production were established as a methanol-to-oil ratio around 16.4-16.918, a nanocatalyst dose of approximately 2.4-2.541 wt.%, reaction times between 153-172 minutes, and temperatures around 64-68.8 °C. Reusability tests confirmed the catalyst's durability across multiple cycles, with E-factor values indicating an eco-friendly process. FTIR analyses validated the successful biodiesel synthesis, with properties conforming to ASTM D6751 and EN 14214 standards.