Single-Pot Synthesis of Biodiesel using Efficient Sulfonated-Derived Tea Waste-Heterogeneous Catalyst.

Area of Science:

• Catalysis
• Green Chemistry
• Biomass Conversion

Background:

• Palm fatty acid distillate (PFAD) is a byproduct of palm oil refining.
• Biodiesel production from PFAD is crucial for renewable energy.
• Efficient and sustainable catalysts are needed for PFAD esterification.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the use of tea waste (TW) as a catalyst for PFAD conversion to biodiesel.
• To evaluate the catalytic performance of activated tea waste char before and after sulfonation.
• To optimize reaction conditions for efficient biodiesel production using the novel catalyst.

Main Methods:

• Characterization of catalysts using FTIR, TGA, XRD, CHNS, BET, and NH3-TPD.
• Esterification of PFAD with methanol using sulfonated tea waste (STW) catalyst.
• Optimization of catalyst loading, methanol:PFAD ratio, reaction time, and temperature.

Main Results:

• Activated sulfonated tea waste char exhibited a higher acid density (31 μmol/g) and surface area (122 m²/g) compared to non-sulfonated char.
• Optimal conditions (4 wt% catalyst, 9:1 methanol:PFAD, 90 min, 65 °C) achieved 97% free fatty acid (FFA) conversion.
• The STW catalyst demonstrated significant recyclability over five cycles without reactivation.

Conclusions:

• Sulfonated tea waste is an effective and reusable catalyst for biodiesel production from PFAD.
• This study presents a sustainable approach for valorizing tea waste in biofuel synthesis.
• The developed catalytic process offers high efficiency and potential for industrial application.