A new heterogeneous process catalyst for the biodiesel production

A novel solid material with caustic properties applicable for heterogeneous base catalysis was developed. The material consisted of low silica zeolite with faujasite topology. The catalytic performance was analyzed using the transesterification of glycerol trioctanoate with methanol as test reaction. In contrast to other solid compounds based on LSX zeolite like Li-LSX, Na-LSX, Rb-LSX, and even basic mixed oxides derived from hydrotalcites, the K-LSX zeolite showed remarkable results. Therefore, the potassium exchanged low silica zeolite of the faujasite type is an alternative catalyst for the production of biodiesel which has the advantage of high activity without the economical and ecological disadvantages of homogenous catalysts. Furthermore, the K-LSX zeolite was extruded and used in a semi-continuous trickle bed reactor giving methyl ester yields up to 85 mass %. These results make the K-LSX zeolite a potential candidate for the development of a heterogeneous transesterification process for the biodiesel production operating in a fixed bed reactor. This is an abstract of a paper presented at the DGMK Conference "Future Feedstocks for Fuels and Chemicals" (Berlin, Germany 9/29/2008-10/1/2008).