Biodiesel from palm oil via loading KF/Ca–Al hydrotalcite catalyst

Abstract: The solid base catalyst KF/Ca–Al hydrotalcite was obtained from Ca–Al layered double hydroxides and successfully used in the transesterification of methanol with palm oil to produce biodiesel. With the load of KF, the activity of Ca–Al mixed-oxides had been improved much. For the mass ratio 80wt.%(KF·6H2O to Ca–Al mixed-oxides) catalyst, under the optimal condition: 338K, catalyst amount 5%(wt./wt. oil) and methanol/oil molar ratio 12:1, after 5h reaction, the fatty acid methyl esters yield could reach 97.98%; for the mass ratio 100wt.%(KF·6H2O to Ca–Al mixed-oxides) ones, under the same reaction condition, only needed 3h to get the FAME yield of 99.74%, and even only reacted 1h, the FAME yield could obtain 97.14%. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]