Malaysian Journal of Analytical Sciences Vol 22 No 2 (2018): 279 - 285

DOI: 10.17576/mjas-2018-2202-13

 

 

 

SYNTHESIS OF ALUMINA-CaO-KI CATALYST FOR THE PRODUCTION OF BIODIESEL FROM RUBBER SEED OIL

 

(Sintesis Mangkin Alumina-CaO-KI untuk Penghasilan Biodiesel daripada Minyak Biji Getah)

 

Zainal Kifli Abdul Razak¹*, Shahida Hanum Kamarullah ¹, Siti Norhafiza Mohd Khazaai ^1,2, Gaanty Pragas Maniam ²

 

¹Faculty of Applied Sciences,

Universiti Teknologi MARA Pahang, 26400 Bandar Tun Abdul Razak, Jengka, Pahang, Malaysia

²Faculty of Industrial Sciences & Technology,

Universiti Malaysia Pahang, Lebuhraya Tun Razak, 26300 Gambang, Pahang, Malaysia

 

*Corresponding author:  zainalk@uitm.edu.my

 

 

Received: 4 December 2016; Accepted: 1 December 2017

 

 

Abstract

In this research, biodiesel was produced by transesterification of rubber seed oil with methanol catalyzed by three types of alumina-supported catalyst. The catalysts were Al₂O₃-CaO, Al₂O₃-KI, and Al₂O₃-CaO-KI. The catalysts were prepared by heating a mixture of alumina and the corresponding salt in a furnace at 700 ^oC. Transesterification reactions were carried out at 65 °C using a mixture of rubber seed oil: methanol of mass ratio 1:9 with different catalyst loadings between 0 and 3.5%. The optimum catalyst loading was at 2.0% for all types of catalyst and Al₂O₃-CaO-KI gave the highest yield (91.6%) followed by Al₂O₃-KI (90.7%) and Al₂O₃-CaO (63.5%). The catalyst Al₂O₃-CaO-KI also gave high biodiesel yields over a wider range of catalyst loadings compared to the other two catalysts. Reactions were also carried out at different temperatures (25, 40 and 65°C). It was observed that the yield increased drastically with increasing reaction temperature. At all temperatures the Al₂O₃-CaO-KI catalyst gave the highest yield. Therefore, the study showed that among these three catalysts the most productive was Al₂O₃-CaO-KI, (100:30:35).

 

Keywords:  alumina-supported catalyst, biodiesel, rubber seed oil, transesterification

 

Abstrak

Dalam kajian ini, biodiesel dihasilkan melalui tindak balas transesterifikasi minyak biji getah dengan metanol menggunakan tiga jenis mangkin tersokong alumina. Mangkin-mangkin tersebut adalah Al₂O₃-CaO, Al₂O₃-KI dan Al₂O₃-CaO-KI. Mangkin-mangkin itu disediakan dengan pemanasan campuran alumina dan garam yang berkaitan di dalam relau pada suhu 700 °C. Tindak balas transesterifikasi dijalankan pada suhu 65 °C dengan menggunakan campuran minyak biji getah: metanol dengan nisbah jisim 1:9 dengan beban mangkin yang berbeza di antara 0 hingga 3.5%. Beban mangkin yang optimum adalah 2.0% untuk semua jenis mangkin dan mangkin Al₂O₃-CaO-KI memberikan peratus hasil yang paling tinggi (91.6%) diikuti oleh Al₂O₃-KI (90.7%) dan Al₂O₃-CaO (63.5%). Mangkin Al₂O₃-CaO-KI juga memberikan peratus hasil biodiesel yang tinggi pada julat beban mangkin yang lebih besar berbanding dengan dua mangkin yang lain. Tindak balas juga dijalankan pada suhu-suhu yang berbeza (25, 40 dan 65 °C). Didapati bahawa peratus hasil meningkat secara mendadak dengan peningkatan suhu tindak balas. Pada sebarang suhu mangkin Al₂O₃-CaO-KI memberikan peratus hasil yang paling tinggi. Oleh itu, kajian ini menunjukkan bahawa di antara ketiga-tiga jenis mangkin ini Al₂O₃-CaO-KI, (100:30:35) adalah yang paling produktif.

 

Kata kunci:  mangkin tersokong alumina, biodiesel, minyak biji getah, transesterifikasi

 

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