Optimized Biodiesel Production from Prosopis juliflora Seeds using NaOH-CZO Green Nano-bio-catalyst – An RSM Approach
J. Environ. Nanotechnol., Volume 15, No 1 (March 2026) pp. 555-564
Abstract
This experimental investigation attempts a methodology to produce Prosopis juliflora biodiesel through base catalyzed transesterification process with NaOH-CZO (Copper-doped Zinc Oxide) green nano catalyst. The bio-oil from Prosopis juliflora seed were derived through Soxhlet extraction process in the presence of n-hexane solvent. NaOH-CZO green nano catalyst was prepared by co-precipitation technique using cupric sulphate, zinc sulphate and sodium bi-carbonate with calcination at 600oC. Box-Behnken design in RSM technique developed 29 experimental runs to optimize the transesterification process with methanol to oil molar ratio, catalyst concentration, reaction temperature and agitation speed as the operating influential parameters wherein 1:10, 1.75%, 90oC and 450 rpm, respectively, were found optimal yielding 97.8% of Prosopis juliflora biodiesel. The derived biodiesel was standardized by evaluating their physio-chemical properties like kinematic viscosity, density, cetane number, calorific value, flash and fire points for its usage in compression ignition engine along with commercial diesel.
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