Biochemical and Biomolecular Engineering Commons^™

Effects Of Preparative Parameters On The Structure And Performance Of Ca-La Metal Oxide Catalysts For Oil Transesterification, Shuli Yan, Manhoe Kim, Siddharth Mohan, Steven O. Salley, K.Y. Simon Ng

National Biofuels Energy Laboratory

The effects of preparative parameters on the surface basicity, composition, and transesterification activities of several Ca-La metal oxide catalysts were investigated. Four different preparation methods: ammonia-ethanol-carbon dioxide precipitation, physical mixing, impregnation, and co-precipitation, were studied. It was found that the ammonia-ethanol-carbon dioxide precipitation method resulted in the highest BET specific surface area, base strength and base site concentration. Moreover, catalyst surface composition and basicity are a function of calcination temperature, precipitants, pH, and molar ratio of Ca to La in precursor solution, and storage conditions. XRD, XPS, basicity and BET tests revealed that catalyst structure and dispersion of Ca species …