Sains Malaysiana 44(6)(2015): 883–891

Optimization of Oil Palm Fronds Conversion to Levulinic Acid using Fe/HY Zeolite Catalyst

(Pengoptimuman Penukaran Pelepah Kelapa Sawit kepada Asid Levulinik menggunakan Pemangkin Fe/HY Zeolit)

NUR AAINAA SYAHIRAH RAMLI & NOR AISHAH SAIDINA AMIN^*

Chemical Reaction Engineering Group (CREG), Faculty of Chemical Engineering

Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, 81310 UTM Skudai, Johor Darul Takzim, Malaysia

Diserahkan: 24 September 2014/Diterima: 13 Januari 2015

ABSTRACT

Levulinic acid (LA) is a versatile platform chemical with numerous potential uses. Conversion of oil palm fronds (OPF) to LA over Fe/HY zeolite catalyst has been conducted in this study. The optimization process using Box-Behnken design gave 19.6% of LA yield at 181.7°C reaction temperature, 7.7 h reaction time, 1.13 g Fe/HY zeolite loading and 0.25 g OPF loading. The efficiency of OPF conversion at the optimum conditions was determined to be 61.1%. It was also demonstrated that Fe/HY zeolite gave sufficient performance for five successive cycles of OPF conversion to LA. The results suggested that Fe/HY zeolite is potential as catalyst for biomass conversion to LA.

Keywords: Fe/HY zeolite; levulinic acid; oil palm fronds; optimization

ABSTRAK

Asid levulinik (LA) merupakan bahan kimia serbaguna dengan pelbagai potensi penggunaan. Penukaran pelepah kelapa sawit (OPF) kepada LA menggunakan pemangkin Fe/HY zeolit telah dijalankan di dalam kajian ini. Proses pengoptimuman menggunakan reka bentuk Box-Behnken memberikan hasil LA sebanyak 19.6% pada suhu tindak balas 173.4°C, masa tindak balas 3.3 h, suapan Fe/HY zeolite 1.13 g dan suapan OPF 0.25 g. Kecekapan penukaran OPF pada keadaan optima ialah 61.1%. Ia juga menunjukkan bahawa Fe/HY zeolit memberikan prestasi yang mencukupi untuk lima kitaran berturutan bagi penukaran OPF kepada LA. Keputusan menunjukkan bahawa Fe/HY zeolite berpotensi sebagai pemangkin bagi penukaran biojisim kepada LA.

Kata kunci: Asid levulinik; Fe/HY zeolite; pelepah kelapa sawit; pengoptimuma

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*Pengarang untuk surat-menyurat; email: noraishah@cheme.utm.my