In the present work, microwave heat pretreatment of jatropha curcas seed particles and use of phase transfer catalyst (PTC) to enhance in-situ transesterification were utilized together. It was observed that use of alkaline BTMAOH as a PTC and microwave heat pretreatment of jatropha curcas seed particles had substantially increased the reaction rate of in-situ transesterification as compared to the reaction conducted with microwave untreated seeds in the absence of BTMAOH as a PTC. Statistical model equation was developed to investigate the interaction effect of reaction variables and establish optimum reaction condition. At optimum condition, experimentally obtained FAME yield (93.7±1.53% w/w) was in close agreement with statistical model predicted FAME yield (96.75%) at 38°C and 37 minutes of reaction time.
In-situ Transesterification of Jatropha curcas L. Seeds for Biodiesel Production using Supercritical Methanol