Application of ZrO₂-ZSM-5 catalyzed soybean oil epoxidation enhanced by hydraulic cavitation

To better apply solid acid catalysts for hydraulic cavitation technology, a ZrO₂-ZSM-5 solid acid catalyst was prepared using impregnation and ion-exchange methods. The effects of the catalyst, hydrogen peroxide, and formic acid dosages, reaction temperature, and venturi tube type on the epoxidation of soybean oil were investigated. The appropriate reaction conditions were determined through a series of experiments: n(C = C):n(HCOOH) = 1:3.0, n(C = C):n(H₂O₂) = 1:2.2, reaction temperature 70 °C, catalyst dosage 1 wt%, and the reaction time 3 h. The epoxy value of the optimized product reached 6.19%. After the reaction, the catalyst was recovered, and catalyst-related mechanisms were hypothesized in conjunction with related analyses. A catalytic mechanism is proposed, and an explanation is provided on how the catalyst accelerates the reaction process. It was concluded that the catalyst can be effectively applied to the epoxidation reaction under the action of hydraulic cavitation, and the reaction rate can be effectively improved.