MCM-48 from rice husk ash as a novel heterogeneous catalyst for esterification of glycerol with oleic acid: Catalyst preparation, characterization, and activity

Mobil Composition of Matter No. 48 (MCM-48) was used as a heterogeneous catalyst to produce glycerol oleates from the esterification of glycerol with oleic acid. MCM-48 was prepared using rice husk ash (RHA) as a silica source by a hydrothermal autoclave reactor. The prepared and characterized MCM-48 was successfully employed as a heterogeneous catalyst to produce glycerol monooleate in a batch reactor at different temperatures. The highest glycerol monooleate selectivity was 64.34% obtained at 140 °C. The conversion and selectivity to glycerol monooleate were compared with previous research that used a different type of heterogeneous catalyst.