Biodiesel is a renewable fuel made from vegetable oils, animal fats, or recycled cooking grease. It is a cleaner-burning alternative to traditional diesel fuel, with lower emissions of harmful pollutants such as carbon monoxide and particulate matter. Biodiesel is also biodegradable and non-toxic, making it a safer option for the environment. It can be used in existing diesel engines without any modifications, and it has similar performance characteristics to petroleum-based diesel fuel. Biodiesel is a sustainable and environmentally friendly choice for powering vehicles and machinery, reducing dependence on fossil fuels and helping to combat climate change. The physical and chemical properties of biodiesel vary depending on its source and production method. The US National Biodiesel Board defines "biodiesel" as a mono-alkyl ester.
Hydrotreated vegetable oil (HVO) for bio diesel and sustainable aviation fuels (SAF) are regarded as a promising alternative to reduce the use of fossil fuels and lower greenhouse gas emissions. Silica is an effective processing aid in the pre-treatment of HVO feedstock, such as used cooking oils, sewage sludge and other organic materials. These must be purified before hydrogenation to remove phosphorus lipids, chlorides or metals. Efficient and sustainable pretreatment of HVO feedstocks is crucial for the quality of biobased fuels. It contributes to disruption-free processing, extends the service life of the system, protects HVO catalysts and increases their life span. Thanks to their highly porous structure and high surface area, SIPERNAT® special silica grades are excellent and highly efficient absorbers of impurities, guaranteeing smooth processing of the pretreated feedstocks.