Optimization of bio-diesel production from soybean and wastes of cooked oil: Combining dielectric microwave irradiation and a SrO catalyst

This work offers an optimized method in the transesterification of pristine (soybean) oil and cooked oil to bio-diesel, based on microwave dielectric irradiation as a driving force for the transesterification reaction and SrO as a catalyst. This combination has demonstrated excellent catalytic activity and stability. The transesterification was carried out with and without stirring. According to H-1 NMR spectroscopy and TLC results, this combination accelerates the reaction (to less than 60 s), maintaining a very high conversion (99%) and high efficiency. The catalytic activity of SrO under atmospheric pressure in the presence of air and under the argon atmosphere is demonstrated. The optimum conversion of cooked oil (99.8%) is achieved under MW irradiation of 1100W output with magnetic stirring after only 10 s. The optimum method decreases the cost of bio-diesel production and has the potential for industrial application in the transesterification of cooked oil to bio-diesel. (C) 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.