Catalysts for Transesterification of Vegetable Oils: A Review

The transesterification of vegetable oils is a critical process in the production of biodiesel, a renewable and biodegradable alternative to fossil fuels. This process involves the substitution of alcohols for ester groups in triglycerides, facilitated by catalysts that significantly influence reac...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: C. U. Nwuche, R. U. Duru, O. Achugasim, O. J. Abayeh
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Joint Coordination Centre of the World Bank assisted National Agricultural Research Programme (NARP) 2025-02-01
Series:Journal of Applied Sciences and Environmental Management
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.ajol.info/index.php/jasem/article/view/288088
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1832569823725355008
author C. U. Nwuche
R. U. Duru
O. Achugasim
O. J. Abayeh
author_facet C. U. Nwuche
R. U. Duru
O. Achugasim
O. J. Abayeh
author_sort C. U. Nwuche
collection DOAJ
description The transesterification of vegetable oils is a critical process in the production of biodiesel, a renewable and biodegradable alternative to fossil fuels. This process involves the substitution of alcohols for ester groups in triglycerides, facilitated by catalysts that significantly influence reaction efficiency and biodiesel quality. This review examines the roles, mechanisms, and performance of homogeneous, heterogeneous, enzymatic, and nano catalysts in biodiesel production. Homogeneous catalysts, including acidic and alkaline variants, provide high reaction rates but pose challenges in product separation and environmental sustainability. Heterogeneous catalysts offer improved reusability and separation but are limited by higher costs and lower reaction rates. Enzymatic catalysts address free fatty acid and water-related issues, producing high-purity biodiesel with reduced environmental impact, while nano-catalysts enhance reaction efficiency through high surface area and catalytic activity. Challenges such as catalyst separation, contamination, and industrial scalability are explored alongside future directions, including the development of green and biomass-derived catalysts. This study underscores the need for innovative catalytic systems to advance biodiesel production's economic viability and environmental sustainability.
format Article
id doaj-art-b4ce9362702c461888e2dd37a3d13f19
institution Kabale University
issn 2659-1502
2659-1499
language English
publishDate 2025-02-01
publisher Joint Coordination Centre of the World Bank assisted National Agricultural Research Programme (NARP)
record_format Article
series Journal of Applied Sciences and Environmental Management
spelling doaj-art-b4ce9362702c461888e2dd37a3d13f192025-02-02T19:51:16ZengJoint Coordination Centre of the World Bank assisted National Agricultural Research Programme (NARP)Journal of Applied Sciences and Environmental Management2659-15022659-14992025-02-01291Catalysts for Transesterification of Vegetable Oils: A ReviewC. U. NwucheR. U. DuruO. AchugasimO. J. Abayeh The transesterification of vegetable oils is a critical process in the production of biodiesel, a renewable and biodegradable alternative to fossil fuels. This process involves the substitution of alcohols for ester groups in triglycerides, facilitated by catalysts that significantly influence reaction efficiency and biodiesel quality. This review examines the roles, mechanisms, and performance of homogeneous, heterogeneous, enzymatic, and nano catalysts in biodiesel production. Homogeneous catalysts, including acidic and alkaline variants, provide high reaction rates but pose challenges in product separation and environmental sustainability. Heterogeneous catalysts offer improved reusability and separation but are limited by higher costs and lower reaction rates. Enzymatic catalysts address free fatty acid and water-related issues, producing high-purity biodiesel with reduced environmental impact, while nano-catalysts enhance reaction efficiency through high surface area and catalytic activity. Challenges such as catalyst separation, contamination, and industrial scalability are explored alongside future directions, including the development of green and biomass-derived catalysts. This study underscores the need for innovative catalytic systems to advance biodiesel production's economic viability and environmental sustainability. https://www.ajol.info/index.php/jasem/article/view/288088Transesterification; biodiesel; homogeneous catalysts; heterogeneous catalysts; enzymatic catalysts; nano-catalysts
spellingShingle C. U. Nwuche
R. U. Duru
O. Achugasim
O. J. Abayeh
Catalysts for Transesterification of Vegetable Oils: A Review
Journal of Applied Sciences and Environmental Management
Transesterification; biodiesel; homogeneous catalysts; heterogeneous catalysts; enzymatic catalysts; nano-catalysts
title Catalysts for Transesterification of Vegetable Oils: A Review
title_full Catalysts for Transesterification of Vegetable Oils: A Review
title_fullStr Catalysts for Transesterification of Vegetable Oils: A Review
title_full_unstemmed Catalysts for Transesterification of Vegetable Oils: A Review
title_short Catalysts for Transesterification of Vegetable Oils: A Review
title_sort catalysts for transesterification of vegetable oils a review
topic Transesterification; biodiesel; homogeneous catalysts; heterogeneous catalysts; enzymatic catalysts; nano-catalysts
url https://www.ajol.info/index.php/jasem/article/view/288088
work_keys_str_mv AT cunwuche catalystsfortransesterificationofvegetableoilsareview
AT ruduru catalystsfortransesterificationofvegetableoilsareview
AT oachugasim catalystsfortransesterificationofvegetableoilsareview
AT ojabayeh catalystsfortransesterificationofvegetableoilsareview