One-pot microwave-assisted catalytic conversion of palm oil into low glycerol content biodiesel product using CaO-TiO 2 nanocatalysts

The use of microwave technology in transesterification provides advantageous thermal effects, resulting in high methyl ester production and enhanced process separation efficiency. The impregnated method has been successfully prepared for the size of CaO-TiO 2 in the range 20 to 30 nm. The optimum conditions of biodiesel production were determined by varying the ratio of oil: methanol, reaction time, and various microwave power that validated based on experimental tests compared to the results predicted by the response surface methodology model. The optimal conditions for producing 93.38% methyl ester were a 5% (w cat /w oil ) catalyst dose, 600 W microwave power, a 1:16 mole ratio of oil to methanol, and 30 minutes of reaction time. In addition, the one-pot microwave- assisted catalyst reaction gives insight to improve the biodiesel yield with efficient time.