Manhoe Kim1, Shuli Yan2, Huali Wang3, John Wilson4, Steven O. Salley3, and K. Y. Simon Ng3. (1) National Biofuel Energy Laboratory, NextEnergy, USA, 461 Burroughs Street, Detroit, MI 48202, (2) Wayne State University, 5050 Anthony Wayne Drive, Detroit, MI 48202, (3) Department of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science, Wayne State University, 5050 Anthony Wayne Dr., Detroit, MI 48202, (4) Next Energy, 461 Burroughs ST., Detroit, MI 48202
Most commercial biodiesel is currently produced by using a batch homogeneous base (NaOH or KOH) catalyzed process. These processes suffer from soap formation and difficulty in product separation and purification. In order to minimize problems associated with the homogeneous catalytic process, CeO2 loaded with mixed metaloxides were studied as heterogeneous catalysts for biodiesel production. The mixed metaloxides were loaded on the CeO2 by the impregnation method. The characteristics of the metals loaded catalysts were analyzed with XRD, SEM-EDS, and XPS. The catalytic activity was tested with the transesterification of soybean oil and methanol in both a batch reactor and a packed bed flow reactor. The yields of methylesters were measured by a GC-MS. The dissolved metals in the products were measured by an Optima 7000 DV ICP-OES. In order to increase the catalytic durability of the CaO sites, various metaloxides and mixed metaloxides were attempted as promoters or stabilizers. The catalytic activities of the loaded mixed metaloxide were highly dependent on the property of the supporting material, existence of third metaloxide as a stabilizer and the calcined temperature as well. Very high catalytic activity comparable to homogeneous catalyst was observed from the CaO loaded CeO2 catalysts. CeO2 supporter is a good promoter and stabilizer toward CaO catalyst