Avaliação do catalisador MCM-41Ni na produção de biodiesel de pinhão-manso.

Abstract

Currently applicants are encouraged to develop new technologies to replace fossil fuels. In this sense, the biodiesel is an alternative to replace diesel as it is derived from vegetable oils or animal fats, it can be obtained through the transesterification reaction. The heterogeneous catalysis is a potential alternative to biodiesel production because the catalyser can be reused. The molecular sieve of types MCM-41 has hexagonal structure of high porosity which give you essential characteristics for heterogeneous catalysis. This work aimed evaluates the catalyser MCM-41 Ni in producing of the Jatropha Curcas ethyl biodiesel. Support has been synthesized applying a low concentration of surfactant, at environment temperature, what it makes this method simple and economically attractive. The material was characterized by X-ray diffraction and scanning electronic microscopy confirming the hexagonal phase. The Jatropha Curcas biodiesel was synthesized in ethylic route using the catalyser MCM-41 Ni, afterwards, it was characterised by acidity index and gas chromatograph, which results show acidity in the norms of ANP and the higher conversion for MCM-41 Ni2% with ester contents of 28 %. Thus it is suggested that the MCM-41 Ni catalyst is not interesting for the synthesis of Jatropha Curcas ethyl biodiesel in these conditions. Tests were initiated with other metals and indicated higher conversions.