Synthesis and Characterization of Amorphous Nano-Alumina Powders with High Surface Area for Biodiesel Production

Nano‐alumina powders containing yttrium oxide were synthesized via the sol‐gel method using aluminum chloride hexahydrate as catalyst precursor. Fourier transform infrared analysis showed the presence of Al‐O and Al‐O‐Al bands in the powder structure and X‐ray diffraction spectra proved that the alu...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Chemical engineering & technology 2013-10, Vol.36 (10), p.1708-1712
Main Authors: Amini, G., Najafpour, G. D., Rabiee, S. M., Ghoreyshi, A. A.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Biodiesel
Catalyst
Catalysts
Nano-alumina
Nanocomposites
Nanomaterials
Nanostructure
Sol gel process
Sol-gel method
Surface area
Transesterification
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Summary:Nano‐alumina powders containing yttrium oxide were synthesized via the sol‐gel method using aluminum chloride hexahydrate as catalyst precursor. Fourier transform infrared analysis showed the presence of Al‐O and Al‐O‐Al bands in the powder structure and X‐ray diffraction spectra proved that the alumina was in the amorphous phase. The amorphous nano‐alumina powders were shown to be mesoporous with a high surface area, and both spherical and slit‐shaped particles were found in the calcined powder. A high percentage of conversion of oil to biodiesel was obtained in the transesterification reaction and the synthesized nano‐alumina powders could be easily regenerated for further use. The amorphous nano‐alumina powder can thus be recommended for use as active catalyst in the transesterification reaction for biodiesel production on the industrial scale. A novel catalyst for use in the transesterification reaction for biodiesel production was synthesized and characterized. A simple, reliable and cost‐efficient sol‐gel technique is proposed, leading to amorphous alumina powders with high surface area and nano‐sized particles, appropriate for industrial applications.
ISSN:0930-7516
1521-4125
DOI:10.1002/ceat.201300102