Catalytic Conversion of Waste Cooking Oil to Biodiesel Using Date Palm Frond Ash

The current research examined the catalytic efficiency of ash derived from date palm fronds for the production of biodiesel by the ethyl transesterification of waste cooking oil. The optimal conditions for synthesizing the catalyst were determined by subjecting date palm fronds to various calcination temperatures (ranging from 300 to 700 ◦C). The catalyst produced was subjected to characterization using thermogravimetric analysis (TG-DTG), X-ray diffraction (XRD), BET, and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The ideal parameters were as follows: a temperature of 85 ◦C, a molar ratio of alcohol to oil of 9:1, a catalyst concentration of 7% (w/w), and a reaction period of 1.5 hour. These conditions led to the formation of biodiesel containing 81% ester content. The reusability of the catalyst was evidenced by its sustained catalytic performance, achieving an ester content exceeding 78% during the initial two reaction cycles. A sustainable and effective catalyst for biodiesel manufacture, the synthesis of a catalyst from date palm fronds has numerous benefits: it is low cost, readily synthesizable, and derived from generally accessible biomass waste.