Methyl Ester Synthesis of Crude Palm Oil off Grade Using the K2O/Al2O3 Catalyst and Its Potential as Biodiesel

Abstract

The purpose of this research was to synthesize the methyl ester of crude palm oil off grade using a K2O/Al2O3 catalyst and its potential as a biodiesel. The procedure of this study was refining CPO off grade using active natural zeolite, CPO off grade of esterification, transesterification of CPO off grade using a K2O/Al2O3 catalyst by varying the concentrations of 2-4% (w/w) catalyst. The results showed that the activation of natural zeolite HCl 2% (w/w) could be used for refining CPO off grade; the methyl ester could be synthesized from CPO off grade through transesterification of K2O/Al2O3 catalyst that obtained the highest yield of 85.58% (w/w) at the catalyst concentration of 4% (w/w). The results of catalyst characterization of methyl ester with 4% (w/w) of methyl esters obtained a density of 0.86 g/mL, a viscosity of 4.33 cSt, a refractive index of 1.45, and the acid number of 0.49 mg/g methyl ester thus fulfilling SNI biodiesel; the major components of the building blocks of the methyl ester transesterification catalyst results of K2O/Al2O3 were methyl palmitate, methyl linoleate, methyl oleate, and methyl stearate.