Preparation of biodiesel from soybean oil catalyzed by aluminum chloride-based ionic liquid

Conversion of soybean oil to biodiesel catalyzed by aluminum chloride-based ionic liquid was studied.Aluminum chloride-based ionic liquid(Cl-2AlCl3) was synthesized and showed good catalytic activity in transesterification of soybean oil to biodiesel.The effects of oscillation frequency,ionic liquid dosage,methanol proportion,temperature,reaction time on the reaction were studied.Under the transesterification conditions of 70℃,4% ionic liquid catalyst,300 times/min oscillation frequency,15 ∶1 mol/mol methanol-to-oil ratio,and time 25 h,the yield of glycerine was 67.9%.Aluminum chloride-based ionic liquid was reused for 4 times,and its activity reduced only a little.