LAUSR

Abstract The focus of the present study is to produce biodiesel from non-edible waste Phoenix dactylifera L. kernel biomass feedstock in presence of a newly synthesized bimetallic heterogeneous catalyst (Mn-MgO-ZrO2). Biodiesel production was optimized based on several process parameters such as; temperature (60–100 °C), reaction time (1–5 h), catalyst loading (1.5–7.5 wt%) and solvent to oil ratio (7.5–37.5). Furthermore, experimental plan based on selected ranges of process variables was developed by response surface methodology (RSM) towards optimizing biodiesel yield. The optimized biodiesel yield was 96.4% at process temperature of 90 °C, reaction time 4 h, catalyst loading 3 wt% and methanol to oil ratio 15. Based on the quadratic model, predicted by RSM, process temperature was rendered as the most influencing parameter among other parameters studied. Kinetic study was also performed to determine the reaction rate constants and the activation energy for the process, which was found to be 37.55 kJ/mol; with pseudo first order reaction. Moreover, the fuel properties determined for produced biodiesel showed a good agreement with the international standards of ASTM and EN.