Malaysian Journal of Analytical Sciences Vol 24 No 4 (2020): 484 - 494

 

 

 

 

LIGNIN FROM OIL PALM FROND UNDER SUBCRITICAL PHENOL CONDITIONS AS A PRECURSOR FOR CARBON FIBER PRODUCTION

 

(Lignin daripada Pelepah Kelapa Sawit dibawah keadaan Subgenting Fenol sebagai Produk Perantaraan bagi Penghasilan Serat Karbon)

 

Khalidatul Athirah Khalid, Vijayaletchumy Karunakaran, Asimi Ana Ahmad, Khairul Faizal Pa’ee, Norfahana Abd-Talib, Tau Len-Kelly Yong*

 

Universiti Kuala Lumpur,

Branch Campus Malaysian Institute of Chemical and Engineering Technology,

78000 Alor Gajah, Melaka, Malaysia

 

*Corresponding author:  kytlen@unikl.edu.my

 

 

Received: 20 November 2019; Accepted: 16 June 2020;  Published:  11 August 2020

 

 

Abstract

The market price of carbon fiber which is considerably high, has limited its application as a value-added material. Lignin, a natural source that can be obtained from oil palm frond (OPF) is a promising precursor for carbon fiber production. This study aims to determine the feasibility of OPF lignin extracted under subcritical phenol conditions as a precursor for carbon fiber. The focus of this study is to determine the fundamental properties (ash content and volatile content) of the produced lignophenol produced based on the effect of reaction parameters such as temperature (260–300 °C), reaction time (5–30 minutes), and solid loading (6 and 10 g). The results indicate that the lowest ash content and volatile content of 9.87% and 6.45% was obtained at 260 °C, 5 minutes, and 6 g solid loading respectively. It can be further concluded that low reaction temperature as well as time and higher solid loading produced lignophenol with low ash and volatile content under subcritical phenol conditions.

 

Keywords:  lignin, carbon fiber, subcritical fluid, oil palm frond, lignophenol

 

Abstrak

Harga pasaran serat karbon yang tinggi telah menghadkan penggunaannya sebagai bahan nilai tambahan. Lignin merupakan sumber asli yang boleh dihasilkan daripada pelepah kelapa sawit dan mempunyai potensi sebagai bahan pengantaraan untuk penghasilan serat karbon. Tujuan kajian ini dijalankan adalah untuk menentukan kebolehgunaan lignin yang diekstrak daripada pelepah kelapa sawit dibawah keadaan subgenting fenol sebagai bahan pengantaraan untuk serat karbon. Tumpuan kajian ini adalah untuk menentukan sifat-sifat asas (kandungan abu dan kandungan meruap) lignophenol yang dihasilkan berdasarkan kesan parameter tindak balas seperti suhu (260–300 °C), masa (5–30 minit) dan kandungan pepejal (6 dan 10 g). Hasil kajian menunjukkan bahawa kandungan abu dan kandungan meruap terendah sebanyak 9.87% dan 6.45% didapati pada suhu 260 °C, 5 minit dan 6 g kandungan pepejal. Kesimpulan dari kajian ini mendapati bahawa suhu tindak balas, masa, dan muatan pepejal yang sederhana mampu menghasilkan lignophenol dengan kandungan abu and kandungan meruap yang rendah dibawah keadaan subgenting fenol.

 

Kata kunci:  lignin, serat karbon, cecair subgenting, pelepah kelapa sawit, lignofenol

 

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