Preparation of Oil Palm EFB Derived Solid Acid Catalyst for Esterification Reaction: Effect of Calcination Temperature

Abstract:

Oil palm empty fruit bunch (EFB) is one of the palm biomass produced in abundance after oil extraction in Malaysia. This study was focused to utilize this waste biomass as a beneficial raw materials. EFB was used to prepare new solid acid catalyst for biodiesel production. EFB was converted into solid catalyst via direct impregnation method and it was used to catalyse esterification of oleic acid. Transition metal sulfide salt, Fe₂(SO₄)₃ was impregnated on EFB fibres. Effect of different calcination temperature was studied on the properties of catalyst. The result shows that Fe₂(SO₄)₃ based solid acid catalyst which calcined at 500°C exhibited the highest catalytic activity with 93.90% esterification rate was achieved. The morphology and surface chemistry and function group determination for the solid acid catalyst were characterized by SEM-EDX and FTIR.

• Periodical: Key Engineering Materials (Volume 701)
• Pages: 117-121
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.4028/www.scientific.net/KEM.701.117
• Online since: July 2016
• Authors: Shamala Gowri Krishnan, Fei Ling Pua*, Kumaran Palanisamy, Sharifah Nabihah
• Keywords: Esterification, Oil Palm Empty Fruit Bunch, Oleic Acid, Solid Acid Catalyst, Transition Metal

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