Efficient simultaneous esterification/transesterification of non-edible Jatropha oil for biodiesel fuel production by template-free synthesized nanoporous titanosilicates

Abstract The biodiesel fuel (BDF) derived from non-edible oils is regarded as the most promising alternative fuel to diesel fuel. In this study, a template-free synthesis was developed to prepare nanoporous titanosilicate materials as cost-effective, highly active and reusable solid acid catalysts to convert non-edible Jatropha oil into high-quality BDF. The synthesis involved the cocondensation of sodium silicate and triethanolamine-stabilized titanium species induced by a rapid drop of solution pH. The prepared materials exhibited high nanoporosity and adequate Lewis acidity and could effectively catalyze the simultaneous esterification/transesterification of Jatropha oil while showing extremely low leaching of silicon. The catalytic activity remained high after repeated use. The high-quality Jatropha BDF prepared under optimum conditions met the specifications of international standards, suggesting that the materials are promising for practical BDF production.