Efficient KF loaded on MgCaAl hydrotalcite-like compounds in the transesterification of Jatropha curcas oil

In this work a series of MgCaAl hydrotalcite-like compounds were synthetized by coprecipitation method at constant pH. In order to obtain the catalysts, the samples were modified with KF by incipient wetness impregnation at different wt%, after that, they were dried and calcined to obtain the mixed oxides. The effect of divalent cations ratio and KF load were studied in the transesterification reaction of Jatropha curcas oil to obtain biodiesel employing an inedible oil. XRD analysis showed typical diffraction patterns of LDH, by nitrogen physisorption the LDH mesoporous structure was also confirmed, ²⁷Al NMR spectra showed bands at 10 and 88 ppm attributed to the Al coordination before and after thermal treatment. While for the impregnated samples after calcination the profiles exhibited the mixed oxide formation, in addition, another peaks appeared associated to the formation of various fluorinated species as shown by XRD, additionally, ¹⁹F NMR showed a main signal at -180 ppm indicating the presence of active tetrahedral aluminum fluoride species. The reaction evolution was monitoring calculating the oil conversion to biodiesel by integration of the signal spectra using ¹H NMR spectroscopy. The results of catalytic tests in transesterification reaction showed a direct correlation between Mg/Ca ratio and KF content in the oil conversion to biodiesel, the higher conversion was achieved (90%) when Mg/Ca = 1 and KF load was 30 wt%.