Utilizing Sabang sea urchin shell as an inexpensive and alternative heterogeneous catalyst for biodiesel synthesis

Abstract

This research is focused on the utilization of sea urchin shells collected from Sabang island, Aceh, Indonesia as raw material for heterogeneous catalyst preparation and Its catalytic study on transesterification reaction of palm oil and methanol to produce fatty acid methyl esters which referred as biodiesel compound. The catalyst was prepared through thermal decomposition method, namely, it was calcined at 900°C in air atmosphere for 4 h and modified with various concentration of potassium element (5, 10, and 20wt.%) as dopant substance using impregnation process. The characterization results using X-Ray Diffraction (XRD) proved that the produced catalyst was dominated by CaO crystals, in which MgO was detected as a minor compound. Another characterization using Scanning Electron Microscope-Energy Dispersive Spectroscopy (SEM-EDS) showed that the produced catalyst has been homogeneous formation on their morphology. Finally, in order to have scientific information regarding its catalytic activity, the prepared catalyst was successfully applied to the transesterification reaction of palm oil and methanol resulting in ricinoleic methyl esters as the main biodiesel product.