Biodiesel Production from Waste Plant Oil over a Novel Nano-Catalyst of Li-TiO2/Feldspar

A novel Li-impregnated TiO2 catalyst loaded on feldspar mineral (Li-TiO2/feldspar) was synthesized via a wet impregnation method and characterized using X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) analysis. Using these techniques, it possible to confirm the catalyst’s structural organization with high crystallinity. This used in transesterification of five waste plant oils Citrullus colocynthis (bitter apple), Pongamia pinnata (karanja), Sinapis arvensis (wild mustard), Ricinus communis (castor) Carthamus oxyacantha safflower). The catalytic tests were performed at temperatures ranging from 40 80 °C, employing variable methanol/ester molar ratio (5:1, 10:1, 15:1, 20:1 25:1) different concentrations (0.5%, 1%, 1.5%, 2% 2.5%) relative total reactants mass. Conversion 98.4% fatty acid methyl esters (FAMEs) achieved for (karanja). main acids present bitter apple, karanja, wild mustard, castor safflower linoleic (70.71%), oleic (51.92%), erucic (41.43%), ricinoleic (80.54%) (75.17%), respectively. Li-TiO2/feldspar produced more than 96% all feedstocks. Fuel properties such as iodine value (AV), cetane number (CN), cloud point (CP), (IV), pour (PP) density within ranges specified ASTM D6751.