Carbon-based nanostructured catalyst for biodiesel production by catalytic distillation

•This catalyst can be made into different kinds of shapes as fillers for a catalytic distillation column.•This measure for biodiesel production exhibited high efficiency.•This measure for biodiesel production was easy to amplify and industrialize.

A promising carbon-based nanostructured catalyst was prepared via the following four steps: (1) thermal decomposition of organometallic compound (C10H14CoO4) on 304 stainless steel substrate, (2) cracking of benzene to carbon nanotubes (CNTs) on the substrate using Co particle catalyst, (3) sulfurizing CNTs with Na2Sx, and (4) oxidating the sulfurized CNTs with hydrogen peroxide. The as-prepared carbon-based catalyst was characterized by spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy etc. The monolithic catalyst can serve as appropriate filler for a catalytic distillation column. Catalytic activity was examined by catalyzing the transesterification of soybean oil and methanol to biodiesel in the catalytic distillation column.

Graphical abstractA promising carbon-based nanostructured catalyst was prepared by four steps. The catalysts can be made into Raschig rings as fillers for a catalytic distillation column. The transesterification reaction can be intensified by this measure and biodiesel is obtained for one step.Figure optionsDownload full-size imageDownload as PowerPoint slide