由於溫室效應造成地球暖化日益嚴重，加上有限的石油存量造成價格飆漲，開發替代能源將是刻不容緩的課題，而其中具有無毒性、可再生、生物可分解性及二氧化碳淨排放量趨近於零等優點的生質柴油(Biodiesel)更是受到各國重視。
生質柴油透過轉酯化反應可將動植物油脂與低碳數醇類經觸媒催化而成，本研究利用Beta型沸石當作轉酯化反應的觸媒，從合成沸石、離子交換改質到轉酯化反應進行一系列的研究，並藉由改變反應參數如不同的金屬離子、金屬離子的含量、溫度、反應物比例等建立轉酯化反應較佳的條件。考慮到工業原料中可能含有脂肪酸和水分，所以實驗中也會探討脂肪酸和含水量對轉酯化反應的影響。
本研究分三個部份，首先是沸石觸媒的合成，其次是沸石觸媒的改質，最後是轉酯化反應以生產生質柴油。實驗發現，170°C下反應3天所合成的Beta沸石於醇油觸媒比25：1：1 (w/w)及反應溫度60°C時進行轉酯化反應有不錯的效果，因其表面積大(503.96 m2/g)及Na2O含量高(0.55 wt%)的特性，所以未經改質就有不錯的轉酯化效率，6小時產率即可達到95 %。另外，利用氫氧化鈉改質觸媒後之生質柴油產率略有提升(8 wt%-eq, 4h, 98%)，但由於強鹼易破壞觸媒降低重複使用性，故以未改質之Beta觸媒進行轉酯化反應較符合經濟性。
利用商用觸媒814E型Beta沸石觸媒進行轉酯化反應，在固定離子交換時間的條件下改變鈉濃度，觸媒負載的鈉含量會隨著鈉濃度增加而增加，轉酯化效果亦然，用8 wt%-eq鈉濃度改質後的觸媒於轉酯化反應4小時後即可達到95 %之產率。另外，雖然水分對Beta的影響較小，但進料油中之游離脂肪酸的確會對轉酯化反應造成嚴重的影響，這部分仍是鹼催化轉酯化反應中待克服的問題。

Nowadays, energy demand and consumption have increased dramatically with technological advancement, which causes the excessive emission of greenhouse gases and the global warming. Hence, it is necessary to develop an alternative and environmentally friendly energy resource to reduce the overconsumption of non-renewable fossil fuel. Out of various renewable energies, biodiesel, a mixture of long-chain fatty acid short-chain alkyl esters, has attracted more and more attention, due to its sustainability, biodegradability, and almost no extra carbon emission.
In general, transesterification is a reaction of triglycerides with short-chain alcohols, commonly methanol. In this study, zeolite beta catalysts are employed to catalyze the transesterification reaction of triolein in excess methanol. First of all, zeolite beta catalysts are synthesized from Na2O•Al2O3, SiO2, tetraethylammonium hydroxide (TEAOH) and H2O. Subsequently, the as-prepared zeolite beta catalysts are modified via ion-exchange method to increase their catalysis in transesterification. For comparison, commercially available zeolite beta, Zeolyst 814E, is used as well. Effects of various parameters such as reaction temperature, catalyst loading, molar ratio of alcohol to oil, and reaction time have been studied. Optimum conditions are found as follows: the feed ratio (w/w) of methanol to triolein is 25 to 1, the feed ratio (w/w) of catalyst loadings to triolein is 1 to 1, a reaction temperature at 60 °C, a reaction time of 6 h, and a stirring speed of 300 rpm. At this condition, the conversion yield of the biodiesel is near 95 %. Finally, the effects of water content and free fatty acid to the transesterification reaction are also investigated and discussed.

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