Synthesis of sulfonated mesoporous carbon from <i>Calophyllum inophyllum</i> oil cake as heterogeneous transesterification catalyst for biodiesel production: a process optimization study

<p>To address the concern of depleting resources and forge ahead toward sustainability, new renewable materials are being explored for multifarious applications. In this present study, sulfonated mesoporous carbon was synthesized using <i>Calophyllum inophyllum</i> oil cake by the...

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Main Author: Akshayaa Anbalagan (11362120) (author)
Other Authors: Swathy Thiyagaragan (11362123) (author), Jeyavishnu Kumaragurubaran (11362126) (author), Arumugam Arumugam (11362129) (author)
Published: 2025
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Summary:<p>To address the concern of depleting resources and forge ahead toward sustainability, new renewable materials are being explored for multifarious applications. In this present study, sulfonated mesoporous carbon was synthesized using <i>Calophyllum inophyllum</i> oil cake by the process of carbonization, hydrothermal treatment, and KOH activation. Sulfonation of mesoporous carbon was characterized by BET, SEM, TEM, and FTIR. N<sub>2</sub> gas adsorption-desorption studies were performed with the synthesized solid sulfonated catalyst and the total surface area, average pore volume, and diameter were estimated to be 618.3 m<sup>2</sup> /g, 0.72 cm<sup>3</sup> /g, and 5.27 nm respectively. The activated mesoporous carbon was then used in the catalysis of the transesterification reaction using <i>Calophyllum inophyllum</i> oil as a reactant. Finally, the biodiesel yield was found to be 93.2% with methanol: oil molar ratio of 1:14, the temperature of reaction 60°C, and 1.5 (wt %) of mesoporous catalyst.</p>