近年來由於石油價格飆漲，加上大量使用石化能源造成的環境污染，具有生物可分解性，無毒與可再生等優點的生質柴油作為替代能源越來越受重視。生質柴油為脂肪酸酯的混合物，通常由油脂與短碳鏈醇轉酯化而來，油脂中含有三酸甘油脂與一部分游離脂肪酸，根據油脂種類不同，脂肪酸的含量也不同，在酸觸媒的催化下，脂肪酸會與醇類進行酯化反應。酸觸媒的種類繁多，主要可分為勻相酸觸媒與非勻相酸觸媒，非勻相觸媒因具有分離容易，不易腐蝕反應器以及可被回收再利用等優點，故本實驗採用非勻相酸觸媒來進行脂肪酸甲酯化反應。
在本研究中，以棕櫚酸與甲醇進行酯化反應合成棕櫚酸甲酯，使用陽離子交換樹酯Amberlite IR-120非勻相酸觸媒催化反應，藉由改變不同反應參數如反應溫度、觸媒負載量、酸醇莫耳比、轉速與反應時間等來建立較佳反應條件。考慮到離子交換樹脂吸水的特性以及原料可能含有水分，實驗中也試著探討樹脂本身一開始含水量與原料中添加水分對反應的影響。
從本研究發現，Amberlite IR-120陽離子交換樹脂在酯化反應中有不錯的催化效果，在溫度60°C，轉速600 rpm，醇酸比6:1，觸媒使用量20 wt%的條件下反應2個小時，轉化率可達90.98%。原料所含水分確實會降低反應速率，但對於系統是兩相或一相並沒有太大的差異。

Biodiesel, a mixture of fatty esters, has become more and more important as an alternative diesel fuel, since it is made from renewable sources and possesses biodegradability, nontoxicity and reusability. In general, biodiesel is produced from transesterification and esterification of oils and fatty acids with alcohols of low molecular weight over adequate catalysts. Among all catalysts, alkaline catalysts cannot be properly used in those oils with high free-fatty-acid (FFA) content as well as moisture due to saponification. In contrast, homogeneous acidic catalysts are commonly used to catalyze esterification of free fatty acids with alcohols. However, it is corrosive and very difficult to remove excess acid from product. Heterogeneous acidic catalysts can overcome this problem. In this study, the cation-exchange resin - Amberlite IR-120 as a catalyst has been studied in catalytic esterification of palmitic acid with methanol. Effects of various parameters such as reaction temperature, catalyst loading, molar ratio of alcohol to oil, and reaction time have been carefully investigated. Reacting at 60 C, 600 rpm, methanol-to-fatty acid ratio at 6:1 and 20 wt% catalyst, it could reach a conversion of 90.98%. In this dissertation, we also discuss the effect of water on Amberlite IR-120’s catalytic esterification, which shows water could inhibit esterification both in one phase and two phase system.

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