Wan Nor Roslam Wan Isahak

Highly Porous Carbon Materials from Biomass by Chemical and Carbonization Method: A Comparison Study

Porous carbon obtained by dehydrating agent, concentrated sulfuric acid (H2SO4), from biomass containing high cellulose (filter paper (FP), bamboo waste, and empty fruit bunches (EFB)) shows very high surface area and better thermal behavior. At room temperature (without heating), treatment of H2SO4 removed all the water molecules in the biomass and left the porous carbon without emitting any gaseous byproducts. Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) surface analysis has shown that bamboo-based carbon has good properties with higher surface area (507.8 m2/g), micropore area (393.3 m2/g), and better thermal behavior (compared to FP and EFB) without any activation or treatment process. By acid treatment of biomass, it was shown that higher carbon composition obtained from FP (85.30%), bamboo (77.72%), and EFB (76.55%) is compared to carbon from carbonization process. Under optimal sulfuric acid (20 wt.%) uses, high carbon yield has been achieved for FP (47.85 wt.%), bamboo (62.4 wt.%), and EFB (55.4 wt.%).

Characterisation and performance of three promising heterogeneous catalysts in transesterification of palm oil

In this work, the performance of three heterogeneous catalysts, namely potassium hydroxide/γ-alumina, bulk calcium oxide, and nano-calcium oxide, in comparison with the homogeneous potassium hydroxide was studied in the transesterification of palm oil to produce methyl esters and glycerol. The physical and chemical properties of the heterogeneous catalysts were thoroughly characterised and determined using a number of analytical methods to assess their catalytic activities prior to transesterification. The reaction products were analysed using liquid chromatography and their properties were quantified based on the American Society of Testing and Materials and United State Pharmacopoeia standard methods. At the 65°C reaction temperature, the oil-to-methanol mole ratio of 1: 15, 2.5 h of the reaction time, and catalyst (φr = 1: 40), potassium hydroxide, potassium hydroxide/γ-alumina, nano-calcium oxide, and bulk calcium oxide gave methyl ester yields of 97 %, 96 %, 94 %, and 90 %, respectively. The impregnation of γ-alumina with potassium hydroxide displayed a catalytic performance comparable with the performance of potassium hydroxide where the former could be physically separated via filtration resulting in a relatively greater purity of products. Other advantages included the longer reusability of the catalyst and more active sites with lower by-product formation.

Recovery and Purification of Crude Glycerol from Vegetable Oil Transesterification

This article reviews the purification techniques involved in producing high-purity glycerol in the biodiesel industry. Utilization of glycerol by-products (contains less than 50 wt.% of glycerol and the remaining contents are water, salts, unreacted alcohol and catalyst) in biodiesel production affords greener and less costly processes. Research has focused on several purification steps that are capable of producing high-purity glycerol. Various new techniques for purifying glycerol promise better quality and lower cost and technologies are required to fulfil increasing worldwide demand. Neutralization, ultrafiltration, the use of ion exchange resins, vacuum distillation and other methods have been utilized in single or multiple stages. Recent studies have demonstrated that the combination of more than one technique produces high-purity glycerol (>99.2%). Purifications cost can be as low as 0.149 USD

Photocatalytic degradation of methylene blue under UV light irradiation on prepared carbonaceous TiO2.

/kg. For many applications, high-purity glycerol is more useful. In some cases, it is even necessary, particularly in the fields of hydrogen production, methanol production, pharmaceuticals and food additives.

Dehydration studies of biomass resources for activated carbon production using bet and XRD techniques

This study involves the investigation of altering the photocatalytic activity of TiO2 using composite materials. Three different forms of modified TiO2, namely, TiO2/activated carbon (AC), TiO2/carbon (C), and TiO2/PANi, were compared. The TiO2/carbon composite was obtained by pyrolysis of TiO2/PANi prepared by in situ polymerization method, while the TiO2/activated carbon (TiO2/AC) was obtained after treating TiO2/carbon with 1.0 M KOH solution, followed by calcination at a temperature of 450°C. X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR), thermogravimetric analysis (TG-DTA), Brunauer-Emmet-Teller (BET), and UV-Vis spectroscopy were used to characterize and evaluate the prepared samples. The specific surface area was determined to be in the following order: TiO2/AC > TiO2/C > TiO2/PANi > TiO2 (179 > 134 > 54 > 9 m2 g−1). The evaluation of photocatalytic performance for the degradation of methylene blue under UV light irradiation was also of the same order, with 98 > 84.7 > 69% conversion rate, which is likely to be attributed to the porosity and synergistic effect in the prepared samples.

New Silica Supported HClO4 as Efficient Catalysts for Estolide Synthesis from Oleic Acid

Activated carbon is produced from high cellulose containing biomass such as filter paper (FP), bamboo waste and palm empty fruit bunches (EFB) by dehydrating agent, concentrated sulfuric acid (H2SO4). At room temperature, treatment of H2SO4 is removed all the water molecules in the biomass and leaving only porous carbon without emitting any gaseous by-products. After activation by carbon dioxide (CO2), Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) and X-ray Diffractometer (XRD) analysis showed the bamboo activated carbon (BAC) has good properties with higher surface area (862.76 m2/g), micropore area (463.62 m2/g) and some crystalline (graphite) phase formation. Acid treatment of biomass has shown high carbon content for FP (85.30%), bamboo (77.72%) and EFB (76.55%), and yield obtained was 47.85 wt.% (FP), 62.4 wt.% (bamboo) and 55.4 wt.% (EFB) by using dehydration method.

Magnesium oxide nanoparticles on green activated carbon as efficient CO2 adsorbent

The syntheses of estolides via condensation reaction of oleic acid were investigated using heterogenous catalysts. In this study HClO4 is supported onto suitable support to make it environmentally friendly. A series of solid acid catalyst containing 5-45 % of perchloric acid supported onto silica was synthesized and characterized using XRD, BET surface area measurement, TEM and XPS surface analysis. Silica modified with perchloric acid was found to be efficient and environmentally benign solid acid catalyst for estolide synthesis. The reaction was performed at 70 oC for 10 hours to give oleic-oleic monoestolide acid (m/z 563.51 as M-H)-. Based on the experimental findings above, optimum catalytic performance was with 15 % HClO4 loading onto SiO2 to give 98.98 % conversion of the oleic acid with 63.98 % oleic-oleic monoestolide acid selectivity.

Selective Synthesis of Glycerol Monoester with Heteropoly Acid as a New Catalyst

This study was focused on carbon dioxide (CO{sub 2}) adsorption ability using Magnesium oxide (MgO) nanoparticles and MgO nanoparticles supported activated carbon based bamboo (BAC). The suitability of MgO as a good CO{sub 2} adsorbent was clarified using Thermodynamic considerations (Gibbs-Helmholtz relationship). The ΔH and ΔG of this reaction were − 117.5 kJ⋅mol{sup −1} and − 65.4 kJ⋅mol{sup −1}, respectively, at standard condition (298 K and 1 atm). The complete characterization of these adsorbent were conducted by using BET, XRD, FTIR, TEM and TPD−CO{sub 2}. The surface areas for MgO nanoparticles and MgO nanoparticles supported BAC were 297.1 m{sup 2}/g and 702.5 m{sup 2}/g, respectively. The MgO nanoparticles supported BAC shown better physical and chemical adsorption ability with 39.8 cm{sup 3}/g and 6.5 mmol/g, respectively. The combination of MgO nanoparticle and BAC which previously prepared by chemical method can reduce CO{sub 2} emissions as well as better CO{sub 2} adsorption behavior. Overall, our results indicate that nanoparticles of MgO on BAC posses unique surface chemistry and their high surface reactivity coupled with high surface area allowed them to approach the goal as an efficient CO{sub 2} adsorbent.

Synthesis and characterization of silicotungstic acid nanoparticles via sol gel technique as a catalyst in esterification reaction

In this work, we were study the selective synthesis of GME from oleic acid and glycerol using two types of solid heteropoly acid catalysts, namely silicotungstic acid bulk (STAB) and STA-silica sol gel (STA-SG). The performance and selectivity of STAB and STA-SG in the esterification reaction have been investigated and compared to the sulphuric acid (H2SO4) as conventional homogeneous catalyst. The catalysts were then characterized their physical and chemical properties using BET, XRD, TEM and XPS. XPS analyses were shown a significant formation of W-O-Si, W-O-W and Si-O-Si bonding in STA-SG compared to that in STAB. The main spectra of O1s (90.74 %, 531.5 eV) followed by other O1s peak (9.26 %, 532.8 eV) were due to the presence of W-O-W and W-O-Si bonds, respectively. The STA-SG catalyst was found to be the more environmentally benign solid acid catalyst for the esterification reaction between oleic acid and glycerol due to its lower toxicity in terms of the relatively lower pH value (pH 3.7) than the STAB (pH 2.8). In addition, the ease of separation for STA-SG catalyst was attributed to its insoluble state in the product phase. The esterification products were then analysed by FTIR and HPLC. Both the H2SO4 and the STAB gave high conversion of 100 % and 98 %, but at a lower selectivity of GME with 81.6% and 89.9%, respectively. On the contrary, the STA-SG enabled a conversion of 94 %, but with a significantly higher GME selectivity of 95 % rendering it the more efficient solid acid catalyst.

Comparison of Different Heterogeneous Catalysts for the Estolides Synthesis from Oleic Acid

Glycerol monooleate (GMO) as an esterification product of oleic acid and glycerol is highly potential as an anti-friction substance in the engine lubricant. The purpose of this work is to study the synthesis, characterization and catalytic performance of solid heteropoly acid catalysts, namely silicotungstic acid bulk (STAB) and STA-silica sol gel (STA-SG). The activity and selectivity of STAB and STA-SG in the esterification reaction have been investigated and compared to the homogeneous catalyst i.e. sulphuric acid (H2SO4). The synthesized catalysts were characterized by BET, XRD, TEM, XPS and TPD-NH3. BET analyses shown that the STA-SG catalyst is very high in surface area compared to STAB of 460.11 m2/g and 0.98 m2/g, respectively. From the XPS analyses, there was a significant formation of W-O-Si, W-O-W and Si-O-Si bonding in STA-SG compared to that in STAB. The main species of O1s (90.74 %, 531.5 eV) followed by other O1s peak (9.26 %, 532.8 eV) were due to the presence of W-O-W and W-O-Si bonds, respectively. In addition, the ease of separation for STA-SG catalyst was attributed to its insoluble state in the product phase. The esterification products were then analysed by FTIR and HPLC. Both the H2SO4 and the STAB gave high conversion of 100% and 98%, while lower selectivity of GME with 81.6% and 89.9%, respectively. On the contrary, the STA-SG enabled a conversion of 94%, while significantly higher GME selectivity of 95% rendering it the more efficient solid acid catalyst.