Hybrid and biogenic catalysts for sustainable biodiesel production: advances, challenges, and circular economy integration
Aliya KURMAYEVA, Rasha SAAD, Salama ALBLOOSHI, Sara MALIK-ASLANOVA, Zafar SAID, Zumrud YUNUSOVA
Abstract. Biodiesel has become a crucial renewable fuel in the transition toward sustainable energy systems. Nonetheless, its uptake faces challenges, including high production costs, suboptimal catalysts, and reliance on fossil-derived methanol. This review examines the promise of waste-derived heterogeneous catalysts—especially calcium oxide (CaO) and magnesium oxide (MgO)—sourced from agricultural and marine by-products (e.g., eggshells, oyster shells, peanut shells, walnut shells). We contrast homogeneous catalyst systems with hybrid and doped heterogeneous systems that combine high activity and recyclability (e.g., CaO/NaOH, CaO–MgO, CaO–ZnO), and we discuss catalyst preparation techniques (sol–gel, co-precipitation, solid-state, wet impregnation) along with structure–performance relationships. Biodiesel production yields of 85-95% for CaO alone, over 90% for CaO/NaOH hybrid catalysts, and close to 99% for MgO/ZnO-supported CaO catalysts with a cycle number of over 10-25 cycles for CaO alone, CaO/NaOH hybrid catalysts, and MgO/ZnO-supported CaO catalysts, respectively. The contributions of the substitution of bio-methanol with biodiesel as well as the valorization of glycerol through heterogeneous catalysts in lowering costs are highlighted. Despite lower costs associated with the use of heterogeneous catalysts, challenges associated with scalability, contaminant tolerance, and long-term stability remain. The alignment of the produced biogenic catalysts with sustainable development goals (SDG) 7, 12, and 13 of the United Nations is proposed.
Keywords
Biodiesel, Biogenic CaO Catalysts, Hybrid Catalysts, Waste Valorization, Sustainable Energy, Circular Economy
Published online 6/20/2026, 7 pages
Copyright © 2026 by the author(s)
Published under license by Materials Research Forum LLC., Millersville PA, USA
Citation: Aliya KURMAYEVA, Rasha SAAD, Salama ALBLOOSHI, Sara MALIK-ASLANOVA, Zafar SAID, Zumrud YUNUSOVA, Hybrid and biogenic catalysts for sustainable biodiesel production: advances, challenges, and circular economy integration, Materials Research Proceedings, Vol. 67, pp 448-454, 2026
DOI: https://doi.org/10.21741/9781644904176-60
The article was published as article 60 of the book Climate Action and Sustainability
Content from this work may be used under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 license. Any further distribution of this work must maintain attribution to the author(s) and the title of the work, journal citation and DOI.
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