Evaluation of the Reuse of Niobium Oxide Catalyst for Sustainable Biodiesel Production

• Grant number: 24/23461-8
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: March 01, 2025
• End date: February 28, 2026
• Field of knowledge: Engineering - Chemical Engineering
• Principal Investigator: Ana Lúcia Gabas
• Grantee: Larissa Miyuki Katsumata
• Host Institution: Escola de Engenharia de Lorena (EEL). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Lorena , SP, Brazil

Abstract

This project aims to evaluate the effectiveness of reusing a calcined niobium oxide pentahydrate catalyst with potassium hydroxide for the production of sustainable biodiesel. Residual oils and fats (ROF) from the food frying process are an alternative raw material that can be reused for the production of biodiesel. In addition to reusing the raw material, making the production chain more sustainable, it is possible to make it even more environmentally friendly by implementing catalyst reuse. Heterogeneous catalysts can be recovered and reused in the production cycle. Such optimization reduces the waste of material to be used and the early disposal of catalysts, enabling environmental and economic improvements in production. Different treatments for the reuse of the catalyst will be evaluated in order to determine the best strategy to optimize its performance and durability. To characterize the biodiesel produced, its rheological parameters will be determined. At the end of the research, it is expected that the optimization of catalyst use can reduce costs and the environmental impact involved in obtaining sustainable biodiesel.