Biogenic SnO2/CPA nanocomposite a green heterogeneous catalyst for biodiesel production from waste cooking oil: Synthesis, Characterization and Transesterification studies

Abstract

Abstract This paper deals with the biogenic synthesis of tin oxide-corn peal ash (SnO2/CPA) nanocomposites as a novel heterogeneous catalyst for the transesterification of waste cooking oil (WCO) into biodiesel.SnO2/CPA nanocomposites were synthesized by a green method using the leaf extract of Azadirachtaindica and ash carbon obtained from the dried peels of Zea mays at room temperature. The biomolecules present in the leaf extract act as a complexing as well as a capping agent. The morphology and chemical components of the catalyst are characterized using analytical techniques such as Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR), Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), Energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS). The highest biodiesel yield of 86.3% was attained under the optimized reaction conditions; methanol to oil ratio of 12:1, catalyst loading of 2 wt %, and reaction time of 120 min at a temperature of 60°C. 1HNMR and FTIR confirmed the presence of fatty acid methyl ester (FAME). The composition of FAME was determined using Gas Chromatography–Mass Spectrometry (GC–MS). Investigations proved that SnO2/CPA nanocomposites an effective sustainable heterogeneous green catalyst for the production of biodiesel.