One-Step conversion of high FFA Crude Karanja oil (Pongamia pinnata) to Bio-diesel Using Portland cement as excellent heterogeneous catalyst

Heterogeneous catalyst was prepared from Portland cement. The heterogeneous tested for catalytic activity in the transesterification of non-edible, high free fatty acid feedstock, such as crude karanja oil (CKO), biodiesel production, at methanol reflux temperature. Gas chromatographic (Gc) analysis technique used to determine methyl ester yield. preparation low-cost sources, and use non-edible only temperature, were all aimed reducing cost production. Insight into activities obtained by characterizations their textural properties, using Brunnear-Emmet-Teller (BET) technique, surface scanning electron microscopy (SEM) dispersive x-ray (EDX) microstructure, morphology chemical composition; diffraction (XRD) Fourier-Transform Infra-Red (FTIR) spectroscopy structural functional groups analyses, respectively. Differential thermal thermogavimetric (DTA/TGA) analyses performed proper temperature ranges dehydration, decomposition, desorption oxidation sample via TGA curves melting points changes crystal structures DTA curves, effective determination calcination application Cement-derived reaction revealed excellent oil, with yield over 97.87 %. Operational conditions methanol/oil mole ratio (1:3 - 18), loading (3 9 % wt) time (0.5 – 7 hours), investigated obtain optimum while kept constant minimise line objective this investigation. Calcined catalysts gave 80% yields than raw counterpart, which attributed phases catalysts, observed characterization after calcination. Keywords: cement, catalyst, Crude Karanja reaction, Feedstock