Biodiesel Production by Amorphous Carbon Bearing SO3H, COOH and Phenolic OH Groups, a Solid Bronsted Acid Catalyst

A solid Bronsted acid of amorphous carbon bearing SO3H, COOH and phenolic OH groups has been studied as a catalyst for biodiesel production. The carbon material functions as a stable and efficient catalyst for the formation of biodiesel from oleic acid at 353 K; the catalytic performance is 70-80% that of sulfuric acid. The carbon material also exhibits remarkable catalytic performance for transesterification of triolein at 403 K, maintaining high catalytic activity even in the presence of water. These results suggest that this catalyst can directly convert crude vegetable oils composed of triglycerides, free higher fatty acids and water into biodiesel with minimal energy consumption.