Biodiesel was prepared from the non-edible oil of Pongamia pinnata by transesterification of the crude oil with methanol in the presence of KOH as catalyst. A maximum conversion of 92% (oil to ester) was achieved using a 1:10 molar ratio of oil to methanol at 60 degrees C. Tetrahydrofuran (THF), when used as a co-solvent increased the conversion to 95%. Solid acid catalysts viz. Hbeta-Zeolite, ...

We report for the first time the use of an amorphous oxide catalyst for the selective oxidation of methanol in the gas phase, leading at 553 K to the production of dimethoxymethane with a selectivity as high as 90% at high methanol conversion (68%).

Highly porous, crystalline zeolite catalysts are used industrially to catalyze the conversion of methanol to gasoline. We have performed a picosecond spectroscopic study providing insights into both the structure and the dynamics of methanol adsorbed to acid zeolites. We reveal the adsorption structure of methanol at the catalytically reactive site and show that the reaction of this complex in ...

Selective, direct conversion of methane to methanol might seem an impossible task since the C-H bond energy of methane is 105 kcal mol(-1) compared to the C-H bond energy for methanol of 94. We show here that the Catalytica catalyst is successful because the methanol is protected as methyl bisulfate, which is substantially less reactive than methanol toward the catalyst. This analysis suggests ...

Dimethoxymethane was synthesized from the direct oxidation of methanol with high conversion and selectivity over specially designed bifunctional V(2)O(5)/TiO2 catalysts with redox and enhanced acidic character, in which the surface acidity played an essential role for inhibiting the formation of formaldehyde through the enhanced condensation reaction of formaldehyde with methanol to produce dim...

Nature's photosynthesis uses the sun's energy with chlorophyll in plants as a catalyst to recycle carbon dioxide and water into new plant life. Only given sufficient geological time can new fossil fuels be formed naturally. In contrast, chemical recycling of carbon dioxide from natural and industrial sources as well as varied human activities or even from the air itself to methanol or dimethyl ...

We report the photoelectrochemical (PEC) oxidation of methanol on a rationally designed graphene-TiO2 nanorod array (G-TNR) photoanode. A PEC methanol fuel cell was constructed by coupling the G-TNR photoanode with a cathode. This study raises a conceptual fuel cell that realizes the synergistic energy conversion of chemical energy and solar energy.