Effects of Using Hybrid Feedstocks and Catalysts on Fatty Acid Alky Ester Synthesis

Student: Prosper Chidubem Uzoma (Thesis, 2025)
Department of Chemical Engineering
Alex Ekwueme Federal University, Ndufu-Alike, Ebonyi State

Abstract

ABSTRACT This study investigates the effects of using hybrid feedstocks and catalysts on the efficiency and yield of Fatty acid alkly ester synthesis. The hybrid feedstocks used were goat fat oil and benneseed oil, while the catalysts used were plantain peduncle and goat bone. In this study, the characterization of the blended oil was done and it was compared with other works. The characterization of the blended catalyst was done using FTIR (Fourier transform infra red spectroscopy) and XRD ( X-ray diffractometry) for the raw blended catalyst and the thermally activated blended catalyst at 800ºC. The result indicated that the blended catalyst contains mainly of graphite (pure carbon). The optimal biodiesel yield was 89.20% at catalyst concentration of 1.5%, temperature of 70ºC, reaction time of 180mins and methanol to oil ratio of 9:1 and it was further characterized and compared with other literature works. Additionally, the employment of hybrid catalysts, which combine the properties of heterogeneous and homogeneous catalysts, aims to enhance reaction kinetics, reduce process energy requirements, and improve product purity.

Keywords
effects hybrid feedstocks catalysts fatty ester synthesis
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