Assessment of Ailanthus altissima seed oil as a potential source for biodiesel production using nickel oxide nanoparticles catalyst

The identification of suitable non-edible plant feedstock is crucial not only to meet energy demands but also to be environmentally friendly. This study aimed to synthesize nickel oxide (NiO) nanoparticles and use these for synthesizing biodiesel from the non-edible feedstock Ailanthus altissima. The confirmation of NiO synthesis and its characteristics were studied using XRD and SEM. The biodiesel synthesis and its physicochemical characteristics were confirmed using GC–MS, NMR, and FT-IR spectroscopies. The fuel characteristics were examined using ASTM standard procedures. The results confirmed that the nanoparticles were crystalline, spherical to cuboidal in shape, and had an average diameter of 24 nm. The suitable set of parameters for the optimum biodiesel yield (95 %) was the oil-to-methanol ratio of 1:24, 25 mg of catalyst, 60 °C temperature, and a reaction time of 90 min. The majority of the fuel's characteristics fell within ASTM D-6751 acceptable ranges. 14 distinct kinds of FAMEs are present, according to the GC–MS results. The FT-IR spectra confirmed the successful synthesis of biodiesel, which displayed significant peaks for several functional groups. ¹H NMR and ¹³C NMR spectrums confirm the conversion of biodiesel synthesis. The environmental friendliness of AAB (Ailanthus altissima biodiesel) and its competitiveness as a feedstock for biodiesel production on a commercial scale are confirmed by its physicochemical properties.