Esterification of fatty acids to biodiesel over polymers with sulfonic acid groups Original Research Article

The esterification of palmitic acid with methanol was studied using poly(vinyl alcohol) cross-linked with sulfosuccinic acid (SSA) and polystyrene cross-linked with divinylbenzene with sulfonic acid groups, as catalysts, at 60 °C. It was observed that the PVA matrixes with sulfonic acid groups were more active than the polystyrene ones. With the most active polymeric matrix (PVA_SSA40), an almost 90% equilibrium conversion was achieved after 2 h. Further, the optimisation of reaction parameters, such as, catalyst loading, molar ratio alcohol to fatty acid and type of alcohol was carried out with PVA_SSA40 catalyst. Catalytic stability of the PVA_SSA40 was evaluated by performing consecutive batch runs with the same catalyst sample. After the second batch, a stabilisation of the catalytic activity was observed. The PVA_SSA40 was also used as catalyst in the esterification of oleic and stearic acid with methanol, having been obtained an equilibrium conversion of almost 80%. In order to become the biodiesel totally biogenerated, the esterification of palmitic acid was carried out with ethanol, at 60 °C and 80 °C. It was observed that the reaction rate is slower when the reaction is carried out with methanol, at 60 °C. In a posterior catalytic experiment at 60 °C, PVA_SSA40 showed catalytic activity to obtain biodiesel from animal fats (lard), in the presence of methanol.