Biodiesel preparation from Thlaspi arvense L. seed oil utilizing a novel ionic liquid core-shell magnetic catalyst

Abstract In order to produce an alternative energy of biodiesel using field pennycress (Thlaspi arvense L.) seed oil, a novel Fe3O4/graphene oxide-phenylalanine bisulfate ionic liquid core-shell magnetic catalyst was developed. Ferroferric oxide nanoparticles and graphene oxide (GO) were employed to prepare a magnetic carrier of Fe3O4@GO nanocomposite which applied to immobilize phenylalanine bisulfate ionic liquid (PBIL). The immobilized PBIL was characterized by the means of characterization. The heterogeneous Fe3O4@GO@PBIL catalyst was demonstrated to have a high catalytic efficiency that reached 92.38 % of biodiesel yield under the optimal conditions (methanol/oil molar ratio of 10:1, reaction temperature of 60 °C, reaction time of 4 h, catalyst dosage of 25 wt%, stirring speed of 1500 r/min). After transesterification processes, the catalyst could be easily removed from the reaction mixture with an external magnet and showed little deactivation after multiple recycles. The main properties of biodiesel product were reconcilable with the range of test standards of ASTM D6751 and EN 14214. In summary, the prepared Fe3O4@GO@PBIL catalyst behaved a superiorly catalytic performance, which made the produced biodiesel possess the possibility of application to biofuel as an ideal substitution.