Deciphering the application efficacy of titanium dioxide mediated calcareous nanocatalyst towards biodiesel production

The current investigation delved into the mechanistic insight, and cost-competent application of CaO-derived nanocataysts doped with TiO for enhanced biodiesel synthesis from castor oil. Calcium oxide-laden nanocatalysts were prepared via co-precipitation methodology with varying precursor and calcination temperatures concentrations. The engineered catalysts underwent characterization using XRD, SEM, particle size analysis, FTIR, EDX, UV-spectroscopy, and zeta potential measurements. Response surface methodology was implemented to create an experimental matrix for the transesterification. With methanol: oil ratio of 12:1, 5% catalyst weight, 2.25 h reaction interval, and a temperature of 60 °C, the utmost biodiesel yield achieved was 94.27%. Furthermore, the ester-enriched biodiesel was confirmed through GC-MS, H NMR, C NMR and FTIR analyses. Kinetic and thermodynamic studies revealed the endothermic and irreversible nature of the transesterification reaction. The fuel characteristics of the synthesized castor oil biodiesel are within acceptable ranges. The co-precipitation-derived nano TiO@CaO catalyst validated impressive catalytic efficacy and stability, making it a proficient heterogeneous catalyst for augmented biodiesel manufacturing from castor oil. The projected expenses for 1 kg TiO@CaO catalyst and 1 L COBD, obtained from cost assessments, were $ 6.37 and $ 0.578, respectively, showcasing their strong economic feasibility. Lastly, the study also offered future outlooks based on recognized gaps in the reported studies across a contemporary bibliometric investigation.