Thermodynamic and Kinetic Studies on the Synthesis of Methyl Oleate Catalyzed by Lipase

Abstract

In this study, the thermodynamic and kinetic characteristics of the esterification reaction catalyzed by sol–gel immobilized enzyme in a batch reactor were systematically investigated. Parameters including catalyst particle diameter, stirring speed, initial molar ratio, catalyst dosage, reaction temperature, and catalyst reusability were studied and optimized. Finally, the esterification rate of methyl oleate reached 90.01%. The standard enthalpy change in the reaction was calculated using the Van’t Hoff equation. A pseudo-homogeneous (PH) model was employed to simulate the kinetic process of the reaction, and the simulation results provide a reference for the scale-up of the reaction process.