Author(s)

Yuji Ueki, Nor Hasimah Mohamed, Noriaki Seko, Masao Tamada

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An efficient fibrous catalyst for the biodiesel fuel production has been synthesized by radiation-induced graft polymerization of 4-chloromethylstyrene onto a nonwoven polyethylene (NWPE) fabric followed by amination with trimethylamine (TMA) and further treatment with NaOH. The degree of grafting of NWPE fabric and TMA group density of fibrous catalyst could easily and reproducibly be controlled within a range of up to 340% and 3.6 mmol-TMA/g-catalyst, respectively. In the transesterification of triglycerides and ethanol using the synthesized fibrous catalyst, the conversion ratio of triglycerides reached 95% after 4 h reaction at 50°C.

Biomass, Biodiesel Fuel, Triglycerides, Heterogeneous Catalysis, Radiation-Induced Graft Polymerization, Renewable Resources

Y. Ueki, N. Mohamed, N. Seko and M. Tamada, "Rapid Biodiesel Fuel Production Using Novel Fibrous Catalyst Synthesized by Radiation-Induced Graft Polymerization," International Journal of Organic Chemistry, Vol. 1 No. 2, 2011, pp. 20-25. doi: 10.4236/ijoc.2011.12004.