Collection of scientific works Nanosystems, nanomaterials, nanotechnologies
Year 2025 Volume 23, Issue 4
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Heba NASEEF, Reem TULAIMAT, Seba NASEEF, and Jasim ALEBRAHIM

Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Sciences, Homs University, Homs, Syria

Optimization of Biodiesel Production from Refined Oil Blend Using a Heterogeneous Nanoparticle Catalyst

1257–1270 (2025)

PACS numbers: 68.37.Hk, 81.16.Hc, 82.30.Vy, 83.80.Mc

Received 29 November, 2024

This study focuses on optimizing biodiesel production from a refined blend of palm and cottonseed oils, utilizing the MCM-41 nanocatalyst. Palm oil biodiesel is noted for its excellent oxidative stability, but demonstrates poor low-temperature flow properties due to its high-saturated fatty acid content. In contrast, cottonseed oil biodiesel offers enhanced flow properties at low temperatures, but exhibits lower oxidative stability. By blending these two oils, this study aims to maximize biodiesel yield and achieve improved overall fuel properties. The esterification process is optimized using a traditional experimental approach, varying two parameters simultaneously, while maintaining the others constant. The critical variables studied include the molar ratio of alcohol-to-oil, catalyst amount, reaction temperature, and reaction time. The MCM-41 nanocatalyst, a mesoporous silica material with nanoscale features, is selected due to its high surface area, uniform pore distribution, and superior catalytic performance. This methodical approach simplifies the optimization process, reduces experimental complexity, and provides a practical framework for identifying optimal reaction conditions in resource-limited environments.

KEY WORDS: optimization, esterification, transesterification, MCM-41, biodiesel

DOI: https://doi.org/10.15407/nnn.23.04.1257

Citation:
Heba Naseef, Reem Tulaimat, Seba Naseef, and Jasim Alebrahim, Optimization of Biodiesel Production from Refined Oil Blend Using a Heterogeneous Nanoparticle Catalyst, Nanosistemi, Nanomateriali, Nanotehnologii, 23, No. 4: 1257–1270 (2025); https://doi.org/10.15407/nnn.23.04.1257
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