An optimization study on transesterification catalyzed by the activated carbide slag through the response surface methodology

After activated at 850 °C under air condition, calcium hydroxide and calcium carbonate in carbide slag are transformed into calcium oxide. The prepared transesterification catalyst, labeled as CS-850, gains surface area of 8.00 m2 g−1, functional groups of vanishing OCO and OH bonds, surface morphology of tenuous branch and porous structure and basic strength of 9.8 < H– < 15.0. From aspects of the molar ratio of methanol to oil (γ), the catalyst added amount (ζ) and the reaction temperature (Tr), transesterification catalyzed by CS-850 is optimized through the Box–Behnken design of the response surface methodology (BBD–RSM). A quadratic polynomial model is preferred for transesterification efficiency prediction with coefficient of determination (R2) of 0.9815. The optimal parameters are predicted to be γ = 13.8, ζ = 6.7% and Tr = 60 °C with the efficiency of 94.70% and validated by experimental value of 93.83%. Meanwhile, γ is demonstrated to be the most significant variable for the minimum p-value. Besides, CS-850 performs acceptable reusability and for the fifth time reusage, efficiency of 82.61% could still be supplied. Aluminium oxide is proved to have the greatest effect on the catalytic activity of CS-850 among other small quality oxides. Physicochemical properties of the purified biodiesel meet American Society for Testing and Material (ASTM) standard.