Thesis (M.Sc.)--Chulalongkorn University, 2009

To study the preparation of CaMgZn mixed oxides by co-precipitation. The mixed oxides were applied as a catalyst to transesterification of palm kernel oil with methanol. The parameters influencing the mixed oxide characteristics and transesterification performance were studied including metal composition (Ca:Mg:Zn), molar ratio of CO3 2- to metal ion, CO3 2- concentration, pH during precipitation, aging time, aging temperature, and calcination temperature. The results indicated that CaMgZn with the Ca:Mg:Zn molar ratio of 3:1:1, synthesized by using the molar ratio of CO3 2-/metal ion of 1.0, the CO3 2- concentration of 0.75 M, pH of 7, the aging temperature of 60℃, the aging time of 20 h and the calcination temperature of 800℃ for 2 h, exhibited the most active catalyst. The catalyst gave the highest methyl ester content of 98%. The suitable conditions for the transesterification of palm kernel oil were the amount of catalyst of 6 wt.%, the methanol/oil molar ratio of 20, the temperature of 60℃ and the reaction time of 3 h