Bio-metal organic frameworks (Zn, Fe, Ni–Glu) as green catalysts for oleic acid esterification into biodiesel
Year: 2026
Type: article
Abstract: The depletion of petroleum resources and environmental concerns drive the need for sustainable, renewable energy. Biodiesel, produced via fatty acid esterification, is a promising alternative to conventional diesel. Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) are appealing solid-phase catalysts, but they often rely on unsustainable synthetic ligands. This study addresses that by using glutamic acid, a natural amino acid, to synthesize three bio-MOFs: ZnGlu (zinc-glutamate), FeGlu (iron-glutamate), and NiGlu (nickel-glutamate). The methods used were spontaneous hydrothermal, hydrothermal, and solvothermal (at elevated temperature and pressure), yielding 63.65 %, 9.87 %, and 45.94 %, respectively. Characterization involved Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), powder X-ray diffraction (XRD), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) to confirm differences. Though NiGlu had the highest surface area (236.71 m 2 /g), its catalytic performance was low, possibly due to blocked active sites. ZnGlu, by contrast, converted 87.5 % of oleic acid to biodiesel under optimal conditions (5 % catalyst, 65°C, 360 min). These results suggest that catalytic efficiency depends on surface area, pore purity, metal stability, and active-site accessibility. Therefore, ZnGlu bio-MOF shows strong potential as an environmentally friendly catalyst for biodiesel.
Source: Next Materials
Institutions: University of Indonesia, Sunway University
Language: English
Subfield: Biomedical Engineering
Field: Engineering
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $1,280
Award: G7973136697
OpenAlex ID: W7128773697