2021 App Nanosci in press Exploitation of cost‑effective renewable heterogeneous base catalyst from banana (Musa paradisiaca) peel for effective methyl ester production from soybean oil
Abstract
Biodiesel is one of the biofuel alternatives obtained from vegetable oils and animal fats, currently being used globally to
lessen environmental pollutions. In this research investigation, waste banana peels impregnated with calcium oxide (CaO)
were utilized as a catalyst in the transesterification reaction of soybean oil with methanol. The waste of banana peels was
calcined at 700 °C for 4 h and then added with CaO, calcined at 900 °C for 3 h with different concentrations. The results
obtained showed that CaO is successfully impregnated based on the SEM–EDX, the surface area of CaO-CBP was smoother
than CaO, the BET results revealed that with CaO-CBP the surface area was increased which was exhibited a porous and
rough shape on the calcined banana peel (CBP) to give a high yield. Methyl esters (FAME) are produced at the highest
conversion of 76.87 wt. % under 7 wt.% of catalyst amounts, 9:1 of molar ratio of methanol to oil and 2 h reaction time, as
optimum conditions. The CaO impregnated with CBP (30% CaO-CBP) was used as a potential catalyst for heterogeneous
bases that can facilitate transesterification reaction efficiently due to its high catalytic activity.