Synthesis of hydro-sodalite as a heterogeneous catalyst for reaction kinetics of soybean oil trans-esterification

A kinetic study evaluating heterogeneous transesterification of soybean oil was performed using zeolite from coal fly ash as a catalyst, under reaction conditions with different temperatures and reaction times. The catalyst characterization revealed that zeolite type hydro-sodalite was synthesized and consists of mesoporous agglomerates particles with a specific surface area of 7.53 m² g-1 and a basic catalytic character. The conversion rate of soybean oil to its methyl esters was found to increase with an increase in temperature. An ester yield of 92.5% was the highest methyl ester achieved at 65°C and at a 12:1 methanol-to-oil molar ratio. The reaction followed pseudo-first order kinetics with a calculated activation energy (Ea) of 27.23 kJ mol-1.