Heterogeneous transesterification processes by using CaO supported on zinc oxide as basic catalysts

Zinc oxide, obtained by thermal decomposition of zinc oxalate, has been impregnated with different amounts of calcium oxide, and used as solid catalyst for transesterification processes. Catalysts have been characterized by chemical analysis, XRD, XPS, FT-IR, SEM, N2 adsorption–desorption at 77 K and CO2-TPD. The catalytic behaviour has been evaluated by choosing two transesterification processes: a simple model such as the reaction between ethyl butyrate and methanol and the production of biodiesel from sunflower oil and methanol. Calcium oxide is stabilized by filling the mesoporous network of ZnO, as reveal the corresponding pore size distributions, thus avoiding the lixiviation of the active phase in the reaction medium. These supported CaO catalysts, thermally activated at 1073 K, can give rise to FAME (fatty acid methyl esters) yield higher than 90%, after 2 h of reaction, when a methanol:oil molar ratio of 12 and 1.3 wt% of the catalyst with a 16 wt% CaO were employed.