DEVELOPMENT OF BI-FUNCTIONAL HETEROGENEOUS CATALYST FOR THE PRODUCTION OF BIODIESEL FROM SHEA NUT OIL

This study investigates the development and characterization of a bifunctional heterogeneous catalyst for biodiesel production using calcined oyster shells, alumina, and plantain peel ash as precursor materials. The oyster shells provided a calcium oxide (CaO) base source. The catalysts were synthesized via co-precipitation and thermal calcination at optimized conditions, ensuring the formation of active sites for both esterification and transesterification reactions. Characterization techniques, including Xray diffraction (XRD),and Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET) surface area analysis, were employed to evaluate the structural, morphological, and surface properties of the catalyst.The synthesized catalyst demonstrated high catalytic efficiency In biodiesel production from Shea nut oil under mild reaction conditions, achieving a conversion yield of over 90%. Its bifunctional properties allowed effective conversion of both free fatty acids and triglycerides, minimizing pre-treatment steps. Reusability tests confirmed the catalyst’s stability, retaining activity over four reaction cycles.