Biodiesel is an environmentally friendly fuel and a good substitution for the fossil fuel. However, the purity of this fuel is a major concern that challenges researchers. In this study, a calcium oxide based catalyst has been prepared from local waste eggshells by the calcination method and tested in production biodiesel. The eggshells were powdered and calcined at different temperatures (700, 750, 800, 850 and 900 °C) and periods of time (1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 hr.). The effect of calcination temperature and calcination time on the structure and activity of the solid catalyst were examined by X-ray Diffraction (XRD), Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), and Brunaure-Emmett-Teller (BET). The optimum catalyst performance was obtained at 900 °C and 3 hr. The characterization tests revealed a crystalline phase of CaO, a specific surface area 12.5m2/gm and good distribution of the active component. The effects of different transesterification reaction variables on the catalyst performance were also investigated. The highest conversion, 96.11% was obtained at 30:1 methanol-to-waste cooking oil molar ratio, 65°C, 3 wt. % catalyst loading and 3 hr reaction time. Additionally, durability of CaO was examined. It was found that high activity and durability were obtained by washing with n-hexan. It found that the use of eggshell as a heterogeneous catalyst for biodiesel production provides a cost-effective and environmentally friendly way of green fuel production.
