AUTHOR=Shaker Masoumeh , Elhamifar Dawood 

TITLE=Sulfonic Acid Supported on Magnetic Methylene-Based Organosilica as an Efficient and Recyclable Nanocatalyst for Biodiesel Production via Esterification

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Energy Research

VOLUME=8

YEAR=2020

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/energy-research/articles/10.3389/fenrg.2020.00078

DOI=10.3389/fenrg.2020.00078

ISSN=2296-598X

ABSTRACT=<p>In this paper, a novel sulfonic acid containing magnetic methylene-based organosilica with core-shell structure (<italic>Fe</italic><sub>3</sub><italic>O</italic><sub>4</sub>@<italic>OS</italic>−<italic>SO</italic><sub>3</sub><italic>H</italic>) is synthesized, characterized and its catalytic application is investigated for biodiesel production via esterification of carboxylic acids with alcohols. The <italic>Fe</italic><sub>3</sub><italic>O</italic><sub>4</sub>@<italic>OS</italic>−<italic>SO</italic><sub>3</sub><italic>H</italic> was synthesized via co-condensation of tetraethyl orthosilicate (TEOS) and 1,2-bis(triethoxysilyl)methane (BTEM) around magnetite nanoparticles. The <italic>Fe</italic><sub>3</sub><italic>O</italic><sub>4</sub>@<italic>OS</italic>−<italic>SO</italic><sub>3</sub><italic>H</italic> nanocatalyst was characterized by using FT-IR, PXRD, TGA, VSM, TEM and SEM techniques. The catalytic study showed that the <italic>Fe</italic><sub>3</sub><italic>O</italic><sub>4</sub>@<italic>OS</italic>−<italic>SO</italic><sub>3</sub><italic>H</italic> nanocomposite can be used as an effective, powerful, selective and recyclable catalyst for the esterification of carboxylic acids with alcohols at 70°C under solvent-free conditions. This nanocatalyst was recovered and reused several times without significant decrease in efficiency and stability.</p>