Malaysian Journal of Analytical Sciences Vol 25 No 3 (2021): 490 - 497

 

 

 

 

APPLICATION OF WASTE CATALYST, CaO-SiO₂ IN THE TRANSESTERIFICATION OF PALM OIL

 

(Aplikasi Mangkin Bahan Buangan, CaO-SiO₂ dalam Transesterifikasi Minyak Sawit)

 

Siti Norhafiza Mohd Khazaai^1,2*, Sih Yiting¹, Mohd Hasbi Ab. Rahim¹, Mohd Lokman Ibrahim⁴, Gaanty Pragas Maniam^1,5

 

¹Faculty of Industrial Sciences & Technology,

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

²Faculty of Applied Sciences,

Universiti Teknologi MARA Pahang, 26400 Jengka, Pahang, Malaysia

³Faculty of Applied Sciences,

Universiti Teknology MARA, 40450 Shah Alam, Selangor, Malaysia

⁴Centre of Nanomaterial Research, Institute of Sciences,

Universiti Teknologi MARA, Shah Alam 40450, Selangor, Malaysia

⁵Biotropic Centre,

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

 

*Corresponding author:  ctnorhafiza03@yahoo.com

 

 

Received: 30 April 2021; Accepted: 7 June 2021; Published:  27 June 2021

 

 

Abstract

The increment of global demand for energy resources and peaking of atmospheric carbon dioxide level have gained researcher's attention to study the alternative energy from renewable resources. In this work, biodiesel were produced by utilizing waste catalysts in converting palm oil into biodiesel. The waste eggshell and sea sand (sources of calcium oxide (CaO) and silicon oxide (SiO₂)) were used to produce CaO-SiO₂ heterogeneous solid catalyst. The effects of different ratio of both sources of catalysts and reaction variables such as reaction time, methanol to palm oil ratio and catalyst loading were studied. Surprising, the analysis using FTIR showed similar functional groups detected before and after the calcination process. Thus, uncalcined SiO₂ was chosen to assist the transesterification process. It was found that 93.01% biodiesel yield were produced at the optimal conditions studied:  65 ± 3 °C, 12:1 methanol to oil ratio within 1 hour 30 minutes, and the application of 5 wt.% catalysts. In conclusion, the CaO-SiO₂ heterogeneous solid catalyst derived from waste eggshell and sea sand showed high potential for biodiesel production from palm oil.

 

Keywords:  biodiesel, eggshell, sea sand, calcium oxide

 

Abstrak

Peningkatan ke atas sumber tenaga secara global dan tahap kenaikan karbon dioksida dalam udara yang semakin meruncing mendapat perhatian para penyelidik untuk mengkaji sumber alternatif yang boleh diperbaharui. Di dalam kajian ini, biodiesel terhasil melalui penggunaan mangkin daripada bahan buangan untuk tindakbalas bersama minyak sawit. Di sini, bahan buangan seperti kulit telur dan pasir pantai merupakan sumber bagi kalsium oksida (CaO) dan silika oksida (SiO₂) yang digunakan untuk menghasilkan mangkin pepejal heterogenos CaO-SiO_2. Kesan terhadap nisbah yang berbeza oleh dua bahan tersebut serta parameter tindakbalas seperti masa tindakbalas, nisbah minyak sawit terhadap metanol dan jumlah mangkin telah dijalankan. Menariknya, analisis FTIR menunjukan kehadiran kumpulan berfungsi yang sama sebelum dan selepas berlakunya proses kalsin. Maka SiO₂ tanpa dikalsin telah dipilih untuk membantu dalam proses transesterifikasi. Optimal keadaan yang dihasilkan adalah 65 ± 3 °C dan 12:1 nisbah metanol kepada minyak sawit dalam 1 jam 30 minit dengan penggunaan mangkin sebanyak 5 wt.% menghasilkan 93.01% biodiesel. Kesimpulan, mangkin pepejal heterogenos CaO-SiO₂ yang terhasil dari bahan buangan kulit telur dan pasir pantai menunjukan potensi sebagai mangkin bagi menghasilkan biodiesel daripada minyak sawit.

 

Kata kunci:  biodiesel, kulit telur, pasir pantai, kalsium oksida

 

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