Fabrication of Nanocatalyst for Biodiesel Production Using Various Strategies from Different Feedstocks

Biodiesel is an environmentally friendly biofuel that has been extensively investigated to help minimize dependency on fossil fuels. Various raw materials can produce biodiesel, including several oils from vegetables, microbes, animal fats, algae, and waste materials. The influence of nanocatalysts which increases biodiesel production is an emerging field due to their high catalytic efficiency. In contrast to conventional catalysts, nanocatalysts have an extremely variable surface area, improving the interaction between catalysts and substrates and product performance. This chapter discusses diverse categories of nanocatalysts like metal oxides-based, carbon-based, and zeolite-based and their effects on production. Further, numerous production strategies were explored, such as pyrolysis, micro-emulsion, supercritical fluid method, reactive distillation, and transesterification process. Along with the modification of nanocatalysts, the function of the optimization parameters and other physiochemical aspects are briefly discussed. This chapter also provides a comprehensive overview of biodiesel production and the significance of nanocatalysts in the transesterification process by addressing the latest developments and challenges in this area that will encourage biodiesel production as a commercially viable sustainable fuel.