Aplicação de sílica mesoporosa modificada com lantânio como catalisador para produção de ésteres etílicos via esterificação

Abstract

This study evaluates the use of mesoporous silica SBA-15 modified with lanthanum, using Si/La = 50, called La50SBA-15, in the esterification reaction of oleic acid with ethanol at 60ºC and 130ºC. Before the reaction the catalyst La50SBA-15 was activated at 650ºC and 800ºC for 1h at inert atmosphere (N2). For the reaction was used 3 and 10wt% catalyst mass relative to total oleic acid and a molar ratio ethanol:oleic acid of 20:1 and 60:1. The ethyl esters content was measured using low frequency 1H NMR spectroscopy (60MHz). A conversion of oleic acid in ethyl esters (biodiesel) of 88,55% after 24 h of reaction time was obtained when using mild reaction conditions. When severe conditions were applied a conversion of 77,83% was obtained with 5 h of reaction time.