title: Functionalized Fe3O4@silica core-shell nanoparticles as microalgae harvester and catalyst for biodiesel production.
abstract: Core-shell Fe3O4@silica magnetic nanoparticles functionalized with a strong base, triazabicyclodecene (TBD), were successfully synthesized for harvesting microalgae and for one-pot microalgae-to-fatty acid methyl ester (FAME, or so-called biodiesel) conversion. Three types of algae oil sources (i.e., dried algae, algae oil, and algae concentrate) were used and the reaction conditions were optimized to achieve the maximum biodiesel yield. The results obtained in this study show that our TBD-functionalized Fe3O4@silica nanoparticles could effectively convert algae oil to biodiesel with a maximum yield of 97.1 %. Additionally, TBD-Fe3O4@silica nanoparticles act as an efficient algae harvester because of their adsorption and magnetic properties. The method presented in this study demonstrates the wide scope for the use of covalently functionalized core-shell nanoparticles for the production of liquid transportation fuels from algal biomass.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemical Engineering, National Taiwan University, No. 1, Sec. 4, RooseVelt Road, Taiwan (R.O.C.), Fax: (+886) 2-2362-304.
authors.forename: Ya-Dong
authors.initials: YD
authors.lastname: Chiang
authors.forename: Saikat
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Dutta
authors.forename: Ching-Tien
authors.initials: CT
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Yu-Tzu
authors.initials: YT
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: Kuen-Song
authors.initials: KS
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.forename: Jeffrey C S
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Norihiro
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Suzuki
authors.forename: Yusuke
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Yamauchi
authors.forename: Kevin C-W
authors.initials: KC
authors.lastname: Wu
mesh_terms: D056804:Biofuels / Q000382:microbiology*; D018533:Biomass; D002384:Catalysis; D005290:Ferric Compounds / Q000737:chemistry*; D058086:Microalgae / Q000737:chemistry*; D053758:Nanoparticles / Q000737:chemistry*; D012822:Silicon Dioxide / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D056804:Biofuels; D005290:Ferric Compounds; C000499:ferric oxide; D012822:Silicon Dioxide
keywords: biodiesel; core-shell nanostructure; microalgae; paramagnetic nanoparticle; transesterification