Biodiesel, a renewable and biodegradable fuel, offers a promising alternative to fossil fuels. This study investigates the production of biodiesel using a novel, cost-effective, and environmentally sustainable catalyst derived from waste materials. Specifically, biochar from pine fruit was used as the catalyst support, while eggshells, rich in calcium oxide, served as the active catalytic component. The catalyst and its support were characterized using FESEM, XRD, EDX, and FT-IR. The transesterification reaction was optimized using response surface methodology with Design-Expert 7.0.0 software, varying the oil to methanol volume ratio (1, 2, and 3 v/v), reaction time (60, 90, and 120 min), and eggshell percentage in the catalyst (20, 30, and 40 wt.%). The optimal conditions were determined to be an oil to methanol ratio of 2 v/v, a reaction time of 90 min, and an eggshell percentage of 30 wt.%, resulting in a biodiesel purity of 96.83%. These findings demonstrate the potential of utilizing waste-derived catalysts for efficient and sustainable biodiesel production, offering a promising avenue for future research focusing on process optimization and catalyst longevity.
