Esterification of oleic acid to biodiesel catalyzed by a highly acidic carbonaceous catalyst

Carbonaceous acid catalyst with high acid content was synthesized by metal (Zr) ion chelation and sulfonation of sodium carboxymethylcellulose. It catalyzed the esterification of oleic acid, with biodiesel yield > 99% at 40-90^oC (activation energy of 24.7 KJ/mol). (在低温下通过两步法合成的碳基固体酸Zr-SO₃H@CMC表面酸度为8.45 mmol/g，可以在40-90^oC催化油酸酯化获得> 99%的生物柴油产率；在90^oC，催化剂循环10次，生物柴油的产率仍> 87%。)

Recently, MissYi-Tong Wang(PhD student from Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences) supervised by Prof. Zhen FANG synthesized carbonaceous catalyst by a two-step method at low temperatures. It had high total acid content (8.45 mmol/g) for oleic acid esterification with high biodiesel yields (> 99%) at 40-90 oC. Under conditions of 90 oC, 20/1 methanol/oleic acid molar ratio, 5 wt% catalyst and 2 h reaction time, biodiesel yield of > 87% was achieved after 10 cycles of use. At lower temperatures (40, 50 and 60 oC), biodiesel yield still reached 82 %, 93 % and 90 % after 3 cycles, respectively. The high activity of Zr-SO3H@CMC benefited from low activation energy of 24.7 KJ/mol. It shows potential application for esterification of free fatty acids or pretreatment of oils with high acid value for the green production of biodiesel

The results were published:

YT Wang,Zhen Fang*, F Zhang, Esterification of Oleic Acid to Biodiesel Catalyzed by a Highly Acidic Carbonaceous Catalyst, Catalysis Today, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cattod.2018.06.041, (2018).

碳基固体酸性催化剂酯化油酸制备生物柴油

最近，王一同（女）同学（中国科学院西双版纳热带植物园博士研究生，现华北理工大学副教授）在方老师的指导下，通过两步法合成了碳基固体酸性催化剂，并应用于油酸酯化制备生物柴油。该研究通过简易的两步法合成高活性的具有多酸位点的碳基固体酸性催化剂，其酸度为8.45 mmol/g，可以在40-90 oC催化油酸酯化获得> 99%的生物柴油产率。在反应条件：90 oC，20/1的醇油摩尔比，5 wt%的催化剂量和2 h反应时间，催化剂循环10次，生物柴油的产率仍> 87%。在低温40-60 oC，其循环3次，生物柴油的产率分别为82 %, 93 % 和 90 %。催化剂低的活化能（24.7 KJ/mol）决定其高的活性。该催化剂在生物柴油绿色生产（酯化油酸和高酸值油脂预处理）展示非常好的应用前景。

结果发表在Catalysis Today: Yi-Tong Wang,Zhen Fang*, F Zhang，Esterification of Oleic Acid to Biodiesel Catalyzed by a Highly Acidic Carbonaceous Catalyst, Catalysis Today (Q1, IF 4.6), https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cattod.2018.06.041, (2018).