Exploring the efficacy of calcined eggshell as a heterogeneous catalyst in enhancing biodiesel production through transesterification of Jatropha oil

Abstract

The conventional use of homogeneous base catalysts in biodiesel production via transesterification has limitations, prompting researchers to explore heterogeneous catalysts. This study examines the effectiveness of calcined eggshell as a heterogeneous catalyst in biodiesel production from Jatropha oil. The catalyst's chemical properties were analyzed using X-ray Fluorescence (XRF) ARL QUANT'X EDXRF Analyzer (S/N 9952120) of Umaru Musa Yaraduwa University Katsina cental laboratory, revealing a primarily CaO composition. Transesterification was performed using varying concentrations (0.1-0.6 wt%) of calcined eggshell, and Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy confirmed the presence of esters in the transesterified samples. The results show that 0.3 wt% calcined eggshell yielded the highest biodiesel production rate of 96.51%, demonstrating the significant role of calcined eggshell as a heterogeneous catalyst in biodiesel production from Jatropha oil.