The Development of a Novel Aluminosilicate Catalyst Fabricated via a 3D Printing Mold for Biodiesel Production at Room Temperature

Biodiesel production has gained attention as a sustainable alternative to fossil fuels, but challenges related to catalyst recovery and energy consumption remain. In this study, a novel lithium-impregnated aluminosilicate catalyst (LiSA) was developed using a 3D-printed mold, providing precise contr...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Selene Díaz-González, Karina Elvira Rodríguez, Laura Díaz
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2025-01-01
Series:Applied Sciences
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/15/3/1094
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1850199493478187008
author Selene Díaz-González
Karina Elvira Rodríguez
Laura Díaz
author_facet Selene Díaz-González
Karina Elvira Rodríguez
Laura Díaz
author_sort Selene Díaz-González
collection DOAJ
description Biodiesel production has gained attention as a sustainable alternative to fossil fuels, but challenges related to catalyst recovery and energy consumption remain. In this study, a novel lithium-impregnated aluminosilicate catalyst (LiSA) was developed using a 3D-printed mold, providing precise control over its structure to optimize performance. The structured catalyst featured a cylindrical shape with multiple circular channels, enhancing fluid dynamics and reactant interaction in a fixed-bed reactor. Catalyst characterization by SEM, TGA, XRD, and ICP-MS confirmed high thermal stability and uniform pore distribution. <i>Jatropha curcas</i> oil was used as feedstock, with diethyl ether (DEE) acting as a cosolvent to improve methanol solubility and enable transesterification at room temperature. The process achieved a high fatty acid methyl ester (FAME) yield, averaging 97.1% over 508 min of continuous operation, demonstrating the catalyst’s stability and sustained activity. By reducing mass transfer limitations and energy demands, this approach highlights the potential of 3D-printed catalysts to advance sustainable biodiesel production, offering a scalable and efficient pathway for green energy technologies.
format Article
id doaj-art-40acc17443a745c8a790059258e0e384
institution OA Journals
issn 2076-3417
language English
publishDate 2025-01-01
publisher MDPI AG
record_format Article
series Applied Sciences
spelling doaj-art-40acc17443a745c8a790059258e0e3842025-08-20T02:12:37ZengMDPI AGApplied Sciences2076-34172025-01-01153109410.3390/app15031094The Development of a Novel Aluminosilicate Catalyst Fabricated via a 3D Printing Mold for Biodiesel Production at Room TemperatureSelene Díaz-González0Karina Elvira Rodríguez1Laura Díaz2Inorganic Chemistry Department, University of La Laguna, Avda. Astrofísico Fco. Sánchez s/n, 38200 La Laguna, SpainChemical Engineering Department, University of La Laguna, Avda. Astrofísico Fco. Sánchez s/n, 38200 La Laguna, SpainChemical Engineering Department, University of La Laguna, Avda. Astrofísico Fco. Sánchez s/n, 38200 La Laguna, SpainBiodiesel production has gained attention as a sustainable alternative to fossil fuels, but challenges related to catalyst recovery and energy consumption remain. In this study, a novel lithium-impregnated aluminosilicate catalyst (LiSA) was developed using a 3D-printed mold, providing precise control over its structure to optimize performance. The structured catalyst featured a cylindrical shape with multiple circular channels, enhancing fluid dynamics and reactant interaction in a fixed-bed reactor. Catalyst characterization by SEM, TGA, XRD, and ICP-MS confirmed high thermal stability and uniform pore distribution. <i>Jatropha curcas</i> oil was used as feedstock, with diethyl ether (DEE) acting as a cosolvent to improve methanol solubility and enable transesterification at room temperature. The process achieved a high fatty acid methyl ester (FAME) yield, averaging 97.1% over 508 min of continuous operation, demonstrating the catalyst’s stability and sustained activity. By reducing mass transfer limitations and energy demands, this approach highlights the potential of 3D-printed catalysts to advance sustainable biodiesel production, offering a scalable and efficient pathway for green energy technologies.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/15/3/1094aluminosilicatebiodieselcosolventheterogeneous catalyst3D printing
spellingShingle Selene Díaz-González
Karina Elvira Rodríguez
Laura Díaz
The Development of a Novel Aluminosilicate Catalyst Fabricated via a 3D Printing Mold for Biodiesel Production at Room Temperature
Applied Sciences
aluminosilicate
biodiesel
cosolvent
heterogeneous catalyst
3D printing
title The Development of a Novel Aluminosilicate Catalyst Fabricated via a 3D Printing Mold for Biodiesel Production at Room Temperature
title_full The Development of a Novel Aluminosilicate Catalyst Fabricated via a 3D Printing Mold for Biodiesel Production at Room Temperature
title_fullStr The Development of a Novel Aluminosilicate Catalyst Fabricated via a 3D Printing Mold for Biodiesel Production at Room Temperature
title_full_unstemmed The Development of a Novel Aluminosilicate Catalyst Fabricated via a 3D Printing Mold for Biodiesel Production at Room Temperature
title_short The Development of a Novel Aluminosilicate Catalyst Fabricated via a 3D Printing Mold for Biodiesel Production at Room Temperature
title_sort development of a novel aluminosilicate catalyst fabricated via a 3d printing mold for biodiesel production at room temperature
topic aluminosilicate
biodiesel
cosolvent
heterogeneous catalyst
3D printing
url https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/15/3/1094
work_keys_str_mv AT selenediazgonzalez thedevelopmentofanovelaluminosilicatecatalystfabricatedviaa3dprintingmoldforbiodieselproductionatroomtemperature
AT karinaelvirarodriguez thedevelopmentofanovelaluminosilicatecatalystfabricatedviaa3dprintingmoldforbiodieselproductionatroomtemperature
AT lauradiaz thedevelopmentofanovelaluminosilicatecatalystfabricatedviaa3dprintingmoldforbiodieselproductionatroomtemperature
AT selenediazgonzalez developmentofanovelaluminosilicatecatalystfabricatedviaa3dprintingmoldforbiodieselproductionatroomtemperature
AT karinaelvirarodriguez developmentofanovelaluminosilicatecatalystfabricatedviaa3dprintingmoldforbiodieselproductionatroomtemperature
AT lauradiaz developmentofanovelaluminosilicatecatalystfabricatedviaa3dprintingmoldforbiodieselproductionatroomtemperature