The Illinois Biodiesel Initiative at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign is a student-driven research program focused on practical, sustainable approaches for biodiesel production. This project addresses one of the key challenges in converting waste cooking oils with high free fatty acid content into highquality biodiesel feedstocks. The approach combines deep eutectic solvents (DES) as green catalysts with superparamagnetic nanoparticles to enable efficient, recyclable, and energy efficient conversion under magnetic heating. The comparison between covalently bonded and non-bonded catalysts on the 
particles will give insight into how chemical anchoring at the particle surface improves catalytic performance and reduces leaching during repeated use. Overall, the study combines catalytic process design with materials development to enhance the performance and reusability of biodiesel catalysts. Built on sustainable principles, the project provides students with hands-on experience in developing efficient catalytic processes and involves them in interdisciplinary research across chemistry, materials science, and engineering.

This proposal directly funds the following. See approved budget and SSC communications for 
details.

1. Scientific equipment
2. Laboratory supplies
3. Publishing costs
4. Student wage