Article Sidebar
Published:
Feb 17, 2025Keywords:
Article Details
In accordance with the Copyright Act of 1976, which became effective January 1, 1978, the following statement signed by each author must accompany the manuscript submitted: "I, the undersigned author, transfer all copyright ownership of the manuscript referenced above to the Nigerian Journal of Technological Development, in the event the work is published. I warrant that the article is original, does not infringe upon any copyright or other proprietary right of any third party, is not under consideration by another journal, and has not been published previously. I have reviewed and approve the submitted version of the manuscript and agree to its publication in the Nigerian Journal of Technological Development." A copyright transfer form may be downloaded from the NJTD Website (http://njtd.com.ng/index.php/njtd). Author(s) will be consulted, whenever possible, regarding republication of material. All authors must have access to the data presented and the authors and sponsor (if applicable) must agree to share original data with the editor if requested.
Main Article Content
Waste-ram-fat as a feedstock for biodiesel production using heterogeneous catalyst of kaolinite-clay impregnated calcium-oxide from chicken eggshell
Abstract
Synthesis of a catalyst (AKC-CE) from activated kaolinite clay (AKC) and chicken eggshells (CE) for biodiesel production using waste-ram-fat (WRF) was undertaken in this study. Characterisation studies of AKC, CE, and AKC-CE samples were investigated using various equipment such as X-ray fluorescence (XRF), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and High-resolution scanning electron microscope (HR-SEM) incorporated with Energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDAX). The catalyst produced was tested for biodiesel production using WRF in a one-factor-at-a-time study of the process parameters. The XRD analysis showed that the main components of Al2(Si2O5)(OH)4, SiO2, and CaO are present in the AKC-CE catalyst. These compounds are commonly used as catalysts for biodiesel production.
The AKC-CE catalyst’s morphology also demonstrated a significant cavity containing irregular crystals, with numerous white flaky crystals. These characteristics show that the catalyst would be efficient for WRF transesterification for biodiesel production. The highest biodiesel yield of 81.33% was obtained at process parameters of MeOH: WRF molar ratio of 18:1, reaction time of 4 h, catalyst loading of 10% (w/w), and temperature of 70oC. The biodiesel produced with the developed catalyst has properties within the ASTM standard. The AKC-CE catalyst is effective for producing biodiesel from WRF. Using WRF and chicken eggshells as materials for sustainable energy may not pose more threat to food availability in the biodiesel production that meets the ASTM standard as established in the Nigerian Biofuel Policy. Therefore, an increase in the use of non-edible feedstock for biofuel production is recommended.
