Green fuel production using MO/MgAl_0.4Fe_1.6O₄ (MO = MgO, CaO, SrO, and BaO) as magnetic ceramic nanocatalysts

Magnetic ceramic (spinel) type nanocatalyst as a heterogeneous catalyst is recently attended for biodiesel production. It has high activity, simple separability, and high thermal and chemical stability. In this study, MgAl0.4Fe1.6O4, as a spinel catalyst, was supported by alkaline earth metal oxides (MgO, CaO, SrO, and BaO) as active phase. The characterization results represented that the movement of the model did not have a direct relationship with alkalinity (MgO < CaO < SrO < BaO). The BaO/MgA(l0.4)Fe(1.6)O(4 )showed a healthy ability to convert sunflower oil to biodiesel, its activity dropped sharply after first use. The activity of CaO/MgAl0.4Fe1.6O4 and SrO/MgAl(0.4)Fe(1.6)O(4)nanocatalysts was in the following order. MgO/MgAl0.4Fe1.6O4 as optimum nanocatalyst converted 94.6 % of sunflower oil to biodiesel at 120 C, 15 M ratio of methanol to oil, 3 wt% of catalyst, and 3 h of reaction time. It preserved its activity at least three times.