Efficient Biodiesel Production from Algae Oil Using Ca-Doped ZnO Nanocatalyst

Biodiesel is a sustainable alternative to petroleum diesel produced by transesterification of vegetable oils in the presence of a catalyst. The present study investigates heterogeneous transesterification of algal oil to biodiesel using novel calcium-doped zinc oxide nanocatalysts synthesized using a UV shaker. The developed catalyst was under different light sources, UV and non-UV; different calcium concentrations (0.01, 0.03, 0.05 M); and different calcination temperatures (600, 700, 800 °C). The catalyst has been characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy, and energy-dispersive spectroscopy (EDS). The effects of the different parameters used in catalyst preparation were studied for transesterification of algal oil. The catalyst of 0.05 M calcium loading and 700 °C calcination temperature synthesized in UV light is considered as the most suitable nanocatalyst, which achieved 99.18% yield of biodiesel. The catalyst was used three times effectively with 76% yield. The chemical properties of biodiesel have been investigated using gas chromatography (GC).