Elnaz Rashtizadeh - Department of Chemistry, Farhangian University, Tehran, Iran

In this work, a new magnetically recoverable nanocatalyst for biodiesel production was developed by covalent binding of a Schiff base ligand, Glu-His, on the surface of silica coated magnetite nanoparticles (SiO2-APTMS) and followed complexation with Zn(OAc)2. Characterization of the prepared nanocatalyst was performed with different physicochemical methods such as FTIR, XRD and SEM techniques. Finally, catalytic activity of the prepared Fe3O4-SiO2-APTMS-Glu-His-Zn was examined in the transesterification of soybean oil with methanol to biodiesel as renewable and clean energy.

Biodiesel, Renewable energy, Tranesterification, solid catalyst