Enhanced Biodiesel production with Cu-doped ZnO Nanocatalyst: A Comprehensive Study on Kinetics, Optimization and Catalytic Performance
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.48048/tis.2026.11747Keywords:
Transesterification, Nanocatalyst, Waste cooking oil, Box-Behnken Design, Biodiesel, Transesterification, Nanocatalyst, Waste cooking oil, Box-behnken design, Biodiesel, Activation energyAbstract
This study presents the synthesis and application of a novel ZnO nanocatalyst doped with
10% Cu, prepared via a co-precipitation method, for the transesterification of waste cooking oil (WCO) into biodiesel. Comprehensive catalyst characterization was conducted using FT-IR, XRD, FE-SEM, EDS, AFM, BET, and HR-TEM. Process optimization was achieved through Response Surface Methodology (RSM) employing a Box-Behnken Design, which identified optimal conditions of 67 °C, 3.14 wt% catalyst, 47.47% methanol-to-oil ratio, and a reaction time of 90 min, yielding 95.5% biodiesel. Kinetic modeling revealed pseudo-first-order behavior with a relatively low activation energy of 99.3 kJ/mol. GC-MS analysis confirmed the dominance of C16:0, C18:1, and C18:0 methyl esters. Unlike previous works using undoped ZnO or CuO individually, this study demonstrates a synergistic effect of Cu-doping on ZnO that enhances catalytic activity and reduces activation energy. These findings highlight the efficacy of Cu-doped ZnO nanocatalysts for efficient and sustainable biodiesel production from low-grade feedstocks.
HIGHLIGHTS
- Cu-doped ZnO nanocatalyst synthesized via co-precipitation
- Biodiesel yield of 95.5% obtained from waste cooking oil
- Box-Behnken design optimized biodiesel production
- Pseudo-first-order kinetics with 99.3 kJ/mol activation energy
GRAPHICAL ABSTRACT
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