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Title: ZnO nanoparticle catalysts for use in biodiesel production and method of making

Patent ·
OSTI ID:1164365
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A method of forming a biodiesel product and a heterogeneous catalyst system used to form said product that has a high tolerance for the presence of water and free fatty acids (FFA) in the oil feedstock is disclosed. This catalyst system may simultaneously catalyze both the esterification of FAA and the transesterification of triglycerides present in the oil feedstock. The catalyst system is comprised of a mixture of zinc oxide and a second metal oxide. The zinc oxide includes a mixture of amorphous zinc oxide and zinc oxide nanocrystals, the zinc nanocrystals having a mean grain size between about 20 and 80 nanometers with at least one of the nanocrystals including a mesopore having a diameter of about 5 to 15 nanometers. Preferably, the second metal oxide is a lanthanum oxide, the lanthanum oxide being selected as one from the group of La.sub.2CO.sub.5, LaOOH, and combinations or mixtures thereof.

Research Organization:
Wayne State Univ., Detroit, MI (United States)
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE
DOE Contract Number:
FG36-05G085005
Assignee:
Wayne State University (Detroit, MI)
Patent Number(s):
8,895,764
Application Number:
12/485,433
OSTI ID:
1164365
Resource Relation:
Patent File Date: 2009 Jun 16
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

References (17)

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Sebum-adsorbent powder and use thereof patent May 2004
Process for dehydrating glycerol to acrolein patent July 2008
Method for preparing a fatty substance ester and use thereof in pharmaceutics, cosmetics or food industry patent-application October 2003
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Process for Dehydrating Glycerol to Acrolein patent-application September 2008
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Room-Temperature Transesterification of Edible and Nonedible Oils Using a Heterogeneous Strong Basic Mg/La Catalyst journal May 2008
Development of heterogeneous base catalysts for biodiesel production journal June 2008
A novel solid superbase of Eu2O3/Al2O3 and its catalytic performance for the transesterification of soybean oil to biodiesel journal December 2007
Simultaneous transesterification and esterification of unrefined or waste oils over ZnO-La2O3 catalysts journal February 2009

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