RE-ESTERIFICATION OF MACAUBA ACID OIL USING GLYCEROL FOR ACIDITY REDUCTION AND BIODIESEL PRODUCTION

Abstract Biodiesel production using acid oils is an important alternative for biofuel cost reduction. However, it is a huge challenge for homogeneous transesterification, the main industrial route commonly used. This paper presents macauba oil with high acidity, 43.90 w/w%, as a potential raw material for biodiesel production. The acidity was reduced to 0.8 w/w% after re-esterification (80 min) with glycerol at high temperature (235 °C), without catalysts. Zinc (powder and coating) and NbOPO4 were also tested as catalysts in comparison with the reaction without a catalyst. Reactions catalyzed...