Biodiesel Production on MgO, CaO, SrO and BaO Oxides Supported on (SrO)(Al2O3) Mixed Oxide

The transesterification of rapeseed oil with methanol was investigated over MgO, CaO, SrO, BaO catalysts supported on binary (SrO)(Al2O3) oxide. The reaction was carried out using a fixed-bed reactor under atmospheric pressure. The activity results showed that addition of metal oxides into mixed Sr-Al oxide improves catalytic activity and fatty acid methyl esters yield in transesterification process. The physicochemical characteristics of prepared catalysts were analyzed by X-ray diffraction and TPD-CO2 methods. The highest triglycerides (TG) conversion and methyl ester yield were obtained for 10 % Sr/(SrO)(Al2O3) catalysts calcined in air at 600 A degrees C for 4 h. The catalytic activity in the studied reaction can be described by the following series: 10 % Sr/(SrO)(Al2O3) > 10 % Ca/(SrO)(Al2O3) > 10 % Ba/(SrO)(Al2O3) > 10 % Mg/(SrO)(Al2O3) > (SrO)(Al2O3). It was proven that addition of the metal oxide into (SrO)(Al2O3) binary system improves the TG conversion to biodiesel and yield of fatty acid methyl esters in transesterification reaction. [GRAPHICS] .