Transesterifying binary oil blends into biodiesel over cow-bone@termite clay hetero-catalysts: Optimization, thermo-kinetics, cost analysis and E-Metrics

Numerous dairy farms in Nigeria have disposed of an extensive quantity of waste, resulting in pollution. Proper utilization or recycling of this waste into valuable products can reduce their environmental impact. This work emphasizes the development and characterization of a bifunctional acid-base heterogeneous catalyst from waste cow bones and termite clay. The catalyst not only helps in reducing the pollution from dairy farms but also enhances the reaction rate in the production of biodiesel, a green fuel, from a binary oil blend (1:1) comprising Cascabela thevetia nut oil and waste cooking oil. The catalyst was observed to be highly active, yielding 98.99 % biodiesel, with the produced fuel's physicochemical properties meeting the ASTM specifications. The structural, thermal, and elemental composition of the catalyst was studied using various analytical techniques, such as TGA/DTA, EDX, FTIR, XRD, BET, and SEM. Kinetic analysis revealed pseudo-first-order behavior with an associated activation energy of 63.30 kJ/mol. This novel approach can provide a sustainable solution to dairy farm waste management as well as facilitate the efficient production of biodiesel, offering a greener substitute to conventional fuels.