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Abstract
The present investigation involves the production of environmental-friendly heterogeneous catalyst from waste Scylla tranquebarica crab shell and optimization of process parameter for biodiesel production from sunflower oil. A complete characterization of the catalyst including catalytic transesterification reaction was studied using gas chromatogram (GC), thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA), X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and 1H nuclear magnetic resonance (1H NMR). An optimum conversion of 94.2% was achieved at 95°C; methanol--oil molar ratio 12:1; 8 wt % catalyst in 75 min. It was found that the catalytic activity has the ability to compete with the other conventional heterogeneous catalysts. This study includes optimal conditions for the removal of the leached catalyst in biodiesel to enhance product purity. This reaction follows a first-order reaction kinetics. The rate constant and activation energy were determined. Fuel properties of biodiesel produced were determined and compared with ASTM standards.