Synthesis and kinetics of biodiesel formation via calcium methoxide base catalyzed transesterification reaction in the absence and presence of ultrasound

- Biodiesel synthesis from soybean oil using calcium methoxide as solid base catalyst.
- Studied effects of catalyst concentration, methanol/oil mole ratio, reaction temp.
- Biodiesel yield >90% in 1.5 h using 1% catalyst, 9:1 methanol/oil and 65 °C temp.
- Effect of catalyst storage time and ultrasound (20 and 611 kHz) on biodiesel yield.
- Kinetic parameters derived for pseudo first order with two-step reaction mechanism.