(555d) Efficiency of Lipase Immobilized Mesoporous Silica as Catalyst for Preparing Biodiesel

Four different kinds of lipase (lipase PS/lipase AK)-immobilized catalysts ere prepared: meso (MCM-41) and meso/macroporous silica modified with and without octyltetraethoxysilane (OTES). They were used to prepare biodiesel from a commercial soybean oil at room temperature and 1 atm. The meso/macroporous silica with OTES resulted in higher yield, reducing the formation of tetracosanoic acid methyl ester significantly. The addition of water to transesterification reactor in small amount considerably extended the life of the catalysts. The yield, composition and life of the catalysts were compared with those of commercial lipase-immobilized catalysts such as CalB and lipase-immobilized Toyonite.