Abstract
ABSTRACTThe epoxidation of palm kernel oil-crude oleic acid was carried out to produce epoxidized oleic acid. Performic acid was formed by mixing formic acid (oxygen carrier) and hydrogen peroxide (oxygen donor) in various ratios of oleic acid, formic acid, and hydrogen peroxide. The signal-to-noise ratio and the analysis of variance are employed to investigate optimal conditions for the epoxidation based on Taguchi orthogonal array method. The optimum conditions based on two responses are the highest relative conversion to oxirane and stability occurred at moderate temperature of 55°C, agitation speed 200 rpm, molar ratio of formic acid:unsaturated oleic acid of 1:1 and molar ratio hydrogen peroxide:unsaturated oleic acid mole ratio of 1:1.5. In this study, the sulfuric acid was found to be the most efficient catalyst. Then, reaction rate for epoxidation of palm oleic acid was in the range of 0.0351–0.0941 min−1 calculated at various temperatures.
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