One-Step conversion of used palm oil into methyl ester using a Double-Base Cu- and Amino-Silane-Modified γ-Al2O3 catalyst

The research was done to study the characteristics and performance of the double base CuO/γ-Al₂O₃-NH₂ catalyst for the transesterification reaction of used palm oil under various reaction conditions to optimize catalytic performance. This research presents a novel double-base Cu- and amino-silane-modified γ-Al₂O₃ catalyst with improved catalytic activity and efficiency for transesterification. The catalyst was synthesized via dry impregnation and grafting and characterized using XRD, FT-IR, SEM-EDX, SAA, and basicity tests. Catalytic activity was done using various reaction condition to determine the optimal conditions for used palm oil transesterification. The CuO/γ-Al₂O₃-NH₂ catalyst exhibited high basicity, a cubic morphology, a surface area of 81.037 m²/g, and a pore diameter of 3.1077 nm. The optimum methyl ester yield of 86.34 % was achieved at 50 °C for 3 h with 3 % catalyst and a 1:9 oil-to-methanol ratio. The CuO/γ-Al₂O₃-NH₂ catalyst offers enhanced efficiency and is promising for energy-efficient future methyl ester production (see Table 4).