Abstract

Kinetics of biodiesel production using homogeneous catalyst (potassium hydroxide [KOH]) was investigated. The reaction
was performed in three-necked glass round-bottom flask, equipped with mechanical stirrer, a reflux double-coiled water
condenser, a thermometer and a heating mantle. To investigate the optimum parameters influencing the production of
biodiesel, the process was optimized by varying the molar ratio with 1:3–1:9, the amount of catalyst between 0.25 and 1.75
(wt. % of oil), temperature 40°C and 90° C and reaction time from 20 to 140 min. The reaction shows first-order kinetics
with an average rate constant of 5.20 × 10−3/min at 60°C. The Arrhenius constant and activation energy are found to be
5.46 × 10−3/min and 36.8 KJ/mole. The catalytic constant K cat(UCCO/KOH) for KOH is 1.50 × 10−3. The entropy of activation
and enthalpy of activation are −101.11J/mole k and −34.44 KJ/mole, respectively. The most probable mechanism has been
proposed