Sintesis dan Karakterisasi Glycerine Pitch Carbon Catalyst (GPCC) untuk Aplikasi Reaksi Esterifikasi Gliserol

Abstract

PT. XYZ mengelola limbah glyceryne pitch (GP) yang dihasilkan dari produk samping proses produksi biodiesel. Kandungan klorin yang tinggi dalam limbah ini menyebabkan penolakan oleh industri semen, serta menimbulkan beban penyimpanan dan distribusi. Proyek ini bertujuan merancang proses produksi Glycerine Pitch Catalyst Carbon (GPCC) melalui dua pendekatan karbonisasi, yaitu direct combustion dan microwave-assisted carbonization (MAC). GPCC dianalisis BET, SEM-EDS dan proksimat spesifikasi SNI 06-3730-1995. Evaluasi kinerja GPCC dilakukan dengan reaksi Esterifikasi gliserol. Produk acetin yang di hasilkan selanjutnya dianalisa GC-MS untuk mengetahui efektifitas proses Esterifikasi dari komposisi produk monoasetin (MAG), diasetin (DAG) dan triasetin (TAG) yang berhasil diperoleh. Metode MAC menunjukkan performa katalis terbaik. Hasil analisa BET GPCC diketahui memiliki luas permukaan 2.02 m²/g dengan ukuran pori 11.42 nm dan volume pori 0.0057 cm³/g. Komposisi karbon 60.78% massa dan unsur sulfur 12.74%. Analisis proksimat GPCC berada dalam rentang spesifikasi SNI 06-3730-1995. Uji performa katalis dengan waktu reaksi 3 jam, rasio mol gliserol: asam asetat (1:3), menghasilkan tingkat konversi gliserol 62.28% dan nilai selektivitas DAG dan TAG 62.37 %. Sedangkan, reaksi 4 jam rasio mol gliserol terhadap asam asetat (1:8) menghasilkan konversi gliserol 89.85% dan selektivitas DAG dan TAG 54.85 %.

PT. XYZ manages glyceryne pitch (GP) waste generated from a by-product of the biodiesel production process. The high chlorine content in this waste causes rejection by the cement industry, as well as creating storage and distribution burdens. This project aims to design a Glycerine Pitch Catalyst Carbon (GPCC) production process through two carbonization approaches, namely direct combustion and microwave-assisted carbonization (MAC). GPCC was analyzed by BET, SEM-EDS and proximate specifications of SNI 06-3730-1995. GPCC performance evaluation was carried out by glycerol Esterification reaction. The resulting acetin product was then analyzed by GC-MS to determine the effectiveness of the Esterification process from the composition of monoacetin (MAG), diacetin (DAG) and triacetin (TAG) products that were successfully obtained. The MAC method showed the best catalyst performance. The results of the BET analysis of GPCC were known to have a surface area of 2.02 m²/g with a pore size of 11.42 nm and a pore volume of 0.0057 cm³/g. The composition of carbon is 60.78% by mass and sulfur element is 12.74%. The proximate analysis of GPCC is within the specification range of SNI 06-3730-1995. The catalyst performance test with a reaction time of 3 hours, a mole ratio of glycerol: acetic acid (1:3), produced a glycerol conversion rate of 62.28% and a selectivity value of DAG and TAG of 62.37%. Meanwhile, a 4-hour reaction with a mole ratio of glycerol to acetic acid (1:8) produced a glycerol conversion of 89.85% and a selectivity of DAG and TAG of 54.85%.