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Abstract
Biodiesel production has been commercialized nevertheless, persistent efforts for better product characteristics and quantity are common place. Advancement of catalysts for improved biodiesel yield and quality has also been attempted through scientific experimentations. The heterogenous, alkaline nature and the ability to leverage active sites, pores and selectivity for biodiesel betterment have spurred the researching of zeolites. They are also flexible to adjustments, which makes it easier to remediate shortcomings like mass transfer limitations and to form numerous composites, even at nanoscale. Universal details on zeolite and its niche among catalysts in relation to feedstock processing are presented in this review. This article also discussed how the abundance and suitability of kaolin, a start material, contributed to creative researching of zeolite and its composites. Also, process routes and methods for biodiesel conversion were explained too. Of these methods, transesterification is widely deployed. Merits and demerits of alkaline, acidic and enzymatic catalysis for transesterification were featured and the concept of supported catalyst was briefly explained. This article has made efforts to review recent developments in zeolite synthesis from kaolin, specifically the hierarchical type. This ready appraisal would serve as a robust tool for choosing a desirable catalyst for biodiesel production on a commercial scale.
Acknowledgment
Special thanks are given to the Department of Chemical Engineering, FUT Minna for their assistance.
Disclosure statement
No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).