Two-step biodiesel production from Jatropha curcas crude oil using SiO2·HF solid catalyst for FFA esterification step

A high quality biodiesel was produced from Mexican Jatropha curcas crude oil (JCCO) by a two step catalyzed process. The free fatty acids (FFA) were first esterified with methanol, catalyzed by a solid catalyst: SiO₂ pretreated with HF. The catalyst showed a high number of Lewis acid surface sites, and no CO₂ or H₂O adsorption activity. This catalyst showed a high FFA esterification activity and high stability. After 30 esterification runs, the catalyst activity remained unchanged. During the second step, the triglycerides present in the JCCO were transesterified with methanol catalyzed by NaOH. The chromatographic analysis of the biodiesel obtained, revealed that the process proposed in this investigation led to a very high quality biodiesel, meeting the international requirements for its utilization as a fuel. The combustion gas emissions of the JCCO biodiesel were studied by FTIR spectroscopy using a laboratory combustor. These preliminary results showed low amounts of aromatic and sulfur containing compounds. However, halogenated compounds and dicyclopentadiene were also detected at the combustor exhaust.