Lauric Methyl Ester Research Articles

Nanocomposite of cellulose and magnetite-magnesia as catalyst for biodiesel from coconut oil

In this work, a heterogeneous catalyst was developed using MgO-Fe3O4 composite and cellulose biopolymer as support catalyst in the synthesis of biodiesel for transesterification reaction from coconut oil. The nanocomposite catalyst was analyzed using Fourier transform infrared (FTIR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), Scanning electron microscopy-mapping (SEM- Mapping), and transmission electron microscope (TEM) to observe the structure, elemental composition and surface morphology. The parameters of reaction time and catalyst loading were studied to optimize the biodiesel yield. The maximum yields were obtained at 120 minutes and 2 wt.% having the yield of 89.93 %. This result shows high biodiesel yield in short reaction time. The biodiesels products have physical properties close to ASTM standards, with a density of 0.885 g/cm3 and acid number of 0.442 mg KOH/g. The biodiesel was tested using the gas chromatography (GC) pertained the greatest abundance at the retention time of 8.817 minutes which indicating that methyl dodecanoic (lauric methyl ester) have area 39.68 %. The cellulose biopolymer combined with MgO-Fe3O4 composite as green catalyst for heterogeneous catalysts which is promising in biodiesel production.

BLENDING OF JATROPHA OIL WITH OTHER VEGETABLE OILS TO IMPROVE COLD FLOW PROPERTIES AND OXIDATIVE STABILITY OF ITS BIODIESEL

ABSTRACT Jatropha oil has rich in unsaturated fatty acids, but other tropical oils, such as palm oil and coconut oil, have high saturated fatty acid. Blending of jatropha biodiesel with soybean, rapeseed, palm and coconut biodiesels resulted in different propertie, between properties of each pure compounds or even better than pure biodiesel. Jatropha biodiesel in concentration of 50-70% jatropha-coconut blend had better cloud point and pour point (9 oC and -6 oC, respectively), compare to jatropha biodiesel (12 oC, 0 oC) and coconut biodiesel (15 oC, 9 oC). Blending of jatropha and coconut were further investigated using two methods, namely methods 1 was in the form of biodiesel and method 2 was in the form of oil before biodiesel processing. Blending method 2 resulted in higher cloud point and lower pour point compared to method 1 and the values were relatively constant. Blending of 55% of jatropha biodiesel with lauric biodiesel (75% lauric methylester) showed a minimum cloud point and pour point (-3 oC; -18 oC). This minimum point called eutectic point expressed an ideal equilibrium of liquid-solid among saturated medium chain alkyl esters and unsaturated long chain alkyl esters. Methylester composition of this biodiesel was 34.03% lauric, 0.31% miristic, 8.91% palmitic, 3.82% stearic and 46.17% oleic acids. This proved the important role of lauric acid, a medium chain saturated fatty acid, which was dominant in coconut biodiesel (48.11%). Keyword: jatropha biodiesel, blending, cloud point, pour point