Synthesis and characterization of NaY@ZIF-8 composite by the ship-in-bottle method as a catalyst for esterification and transesterification reactions

Abstract

Zeolite imidazolate frameworks (ZIFs) were composited with NaY zeolite using two different approaches to the ship-in-bottle method. The two synthesized nanocatalysts showed that the ZIF-8 composite with NaY zeolite could stabilize their structure as catalysts in an acidic environment. The NaY@ZIF-8 nanocomposites that were prepared were investigated using Fourier transform infrared (FTIR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET), elemental mapping (MAP), thermogravimetric (TGA), temperature-programmed desorption of ammonia (NH₃-TPD), and inductively coupled plasma analyses. The synthesized composites were used as catalysts for the esterification reaction of acetic acid with four different alcohols and the transesterification reaction of animal fats, vegetable oils, and waste oils. The results show that the efficiency of the esterification reactions for the two catalytic composites was 98.5% and 94.3%, respectively, and 78.1% for the transesterification reaction.