Rice Husk Char as a Catalyst Precursor for Biodiesel Production
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.36877/aafrj.a0000585Abstract
The production of biodiesel from waste cooking oil has garnered significant attention due to its potential to address environmental and economic concerns using rice husk char as a catalyst, which presents a promising avenue for sustainable fuel development. The efficient optimisation of rice husk char (RHC) as a catalyst for biodiesel production from waste cooking oil presents challenges in achieving high catalytic activity and scalability. RHC was prepared, and the catalyst structural properties and morphology were characterised using Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM). The critical method involved the incorporation of RHC impregnated with titanium oxide as a catalyst precursor in the transesterification process for biodiesel production. Reaction parameters such as temperature, type of catalyst, and reaction time were systematically varied to assess their impact on the catalytic efficiency. Response surface methodology (RSM) was applied using Box-Behnken Design (BBD) in this study to maximise the transesterification reaction biodiesel production. The results showed that the catalyst produced the highest biodiesel yield calcined treated rice char, 72%. In contrast, the FTIR and SEM showed that titanium oxide was present, and the catalyst impregnation was promising.
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