ZrO2-based catalysts for biodiesel production: A review

ZrO2-based catalysts are remarkable catalyst with unique advantageous in transesterification and esterification for biodiesel production. Various modifications have been conducted refer to a specified surface properties consist of surface acidity/basicity, specific surface area and porosity, hydrophobicity, and catalysts stability. Summary on the basic concept on catalyst synthesis, applicability for various feedstocks along with their reusability aspect in biodiesel production are discussed in this review. Even though the activity of the catalyst is depending on many factors including the oil feedstocks, reaction temperature, molar ratio of oil to methanol, and other conditions, the controllable surface properties of catalyst is a benefit of ZrO2-based catalysts. The recyclability and reusability of the catalyst become important aspect for developing a sustainable biodiesel production in the perspective of green chemistry. In addition, future perspective to make sure the applicability of the catalyst for a sustainable process by life cycle assessment is highlighted in this review.