@article { ISI:000293288500001, title = {Biodiesel production from vegetable oils and animal fat over solid acid double-metal cyanide catalysts}, journal = {Catalysis Surveys from Asia}, volume = {15}, number = {3}, year = {2011}, month = {SEP}, pages = {145-160}, publisher = {SPRINGER/PLENUM PUBLISHERS}, address = {233 SPRING ST, NEW YORK, NY 10013 USA}, abstract = {

Biodiesel comprises of fatty acid alkyl esters prepared from vegetable oils or animal fat by esterification/transesterification with short-chain alcohols (methanol or ethanol, for example). It is a biodegradable renewable fuel. Its production is growing exponentially due to greater concerns about environmental protection and depletion of fossil fuel resources. Further, its production from non-edible oils and animal fat is more desirable than from edible oils due to lower cost of non-edible feedstocks and elimination of food verses fuel issues. Solid acid catalysts are ideal for conversion of such low-grade oils to biodiesel. Biodiesel from non-edible oils can be produced by two methods: (1) simultaneous esterification of fatty acids and transesterification of fatty acid glycerides and (2) hydrolysis of glycerides followed by esterification. This account reports the catalytic performance of solid, Fe-Zn double-metal cyanide (DMC) complexes and other acid catalysts in these transformations for biodiesel production. The factors influencing the catalytic performance of the solid acid catalysts in biodiesel production are discussed.

}, keywords = {Biodiesel, Double-metal cyanide, Esterification, Hydrolysis, solid acid catalysts, transesterification}, issn = {1571-1013}, doi = {10.1007/s10563-010-9108-2}, author = {Srinivas, Darbha and Satyarthi, Jitendra K.} } @article { ISI:000294237100001, title = {Lanthanum and zinc incorporated hydrotalcites as solid base catalysts for biodiesel and biolubricants production}, journal = {Indian Journal of Chemistry Section A-Inorganic Bio-Inorganic Physical Theoretical \& Analytical Chemistry}, volume = {50}, number = {8}, year = {2011}, month = {AUG}, pages = {1017-1025}, publisher = {NATL INST SCIENCE COMMUNICATION-NISCAIR}, address = {DR K S KRISHNAN MARG, PUSA CAMPUS, NEW DELHI 110 012, INDIA}, abstract = {

Mg-Al hydrotalcites doped with varying amounts of lanthanum and zinc ions (10 30 mol \%) have been prepared by co-precipitation method and used, after calcination at 873 K, as solid base catalysts for transesterification of soybean oil with methanol (producing biodiesel) and n-octanol (producing biolubricants). The catalyst with 20 mol \% of lanthanum shows the highest transesterification activity (soybean oil conversion = 100 \% and biodiesel yield = 95 \%) at 423 K in 4 h. Catalytic activity varies in proportion with the basicity of the catalysts.

}, keywords = {Biodiesel, Biolubricants, catalysis, Doped hydrotalcites, Hydrotalcites, Lanthanum, Solid base catalysts, transesterification, Vegetable oils, zinc}, issn = {0376-4710}, author = {Rahul, R. and Satyarthi, Jitendra K. and Srinivas, D.} } @article { ISI:000293492300025, title = {Selective epoxidation of methyl soyate over alumina-supported group VI metal oxide catalysts}, journal = {Applied Catalysis A-General}, volume = {401}, number = {1-2}, year = {2011}, month = {JUL}, pages = {189-198}, publisher = {ELSEVIER SCIENCE BV}, address = {PO BOX 211, 1000 AE AMSTERDAM, NETHERLANDS}, abstract = {

Epoxidation of methyl soyate (biodiesel), soybean oil and oleic acid with tert.-butyl hydroperoxide (TBHP) was investigated over gamma-alumina-supported group VI metal oxides (CrOx/Al2O3, MoOx/Al2O3 and WOx/Al2O3) prepared by impregnation method. The studies revealed that 15 wt\% MoOx on gamma-Al2O3 was the most active catalyst (conversion \>90 mol\% under optimized conditions). While MoOx/Al2O3 is selective mainly for epoxidation, the other catalysts are active for epoxidation as well as for decomposition of TBHP. The active species on the catalyst surface were investigated using in situ UV-visible spectroscopy. A linear correlation was observed between epoxidation activity and surface acidity of the catalyst. A new H-1 NMR method was developed to monitor the progress of epoxidation reaction which was found to be superior to gas chromatographic method in estimating the conversion of double bonds of fatty compounds. (C) 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

}, keywords = {Alumina-supported group VI metal oxides, Biodiesel, epoxidation, Fatty acids, H-1 NMR spectroscopy, MoOx/Al2O3, Vegetable oil}, issn = {0926-860X}, doi = {10.1016/j.apcata.2011.05.021}, author = {Satyarthi, Jitendra K. and Srinivas, D.} }