Optimization and kinetics of biodiesel production from <i>Mesua ferrea</i> oil using K₂CO₃ imbued on alumina nanocatalyst

The increasing scarcity of fossil fuels and rising geopolitical and environmental concerns have complicated energy production. Mesua ferrea linn seeds can be used to produce biodiesel as an alternative to conventional food crops. This study examined the catalytic activity of unsupported K 2 CO 3 supported with alumina (K 2 CO 3 /Al 2 O 3 ) in the transesterification reaction. The reaction was optimized using two methods: one variable at a time (OVAT) and Response Surface Methodology (RSM) with a Box-Behnken Design (BBD), which helped identify the linear and interactive effects of process variables on biodiesel yield. OVAT determined the optimal conditions to be: catalyst amount (6 wt%), methanol-to-oil molar ratio (6:1), temperature (60°C), time (60 min), and stirring speed (600 rpm). In contrast, RSM predicted the highest methyl ester conversion with: catalyst amount (6 wt%), methanol-to-oil ratio (7.8:1), temperature (55°C), and time (45 min). A confirmation experiment under RSM conditions achieved a maximum FAME conversion of 95.81%. RSM also indicated that the key parameters influencing transesterification, in order of significance, were temperature, time, and methanol-to-oil ratio. A pseudo-first-order kinetic model was also developed, revealing an activation energy of 53.95 kJ/mol.