UNJUK KERJA KATALIS HETEROGEN NANOKOMPOSIT ZnO/Fe2O3 UNTUK REAKSI TRANSESTERIFIKASI PADA PEMBUATAN BIODIESEL DARI MINYAK JELANTAH DENGAN TINJAUAN WAKTU REAKSI

Abstract

Biodiesel is renewable fuel sources that has the same properties with diesel fuel. It is usually produced from transesterification of vegetable oil with alcohol. Transesterification can be done by homogen or heterogen catalyst. ZnO-based heterogen catalyst can produce a high purity biodiesel. The particle size is made into the nano size. Fe₂O₃was added to ZnO nanoparticle matrix to make it easier to separate from the product. The purpose of this research was to obtain catalytic and separation performance of nanocomposite ZnO/Fe₂O₃. After being activated, it was mixed with methanol, stirred in reactor and heated until 65^oC. At the same time, waste cooking oil at 65^oC was added to the reactor. Reaction was carried out for 3 hours at constant temperature of 65^oC. Then the product was separated. The top layer was methyl ester, and the bottom layer was glycerol. The product and catalyst were separated by magnet. The separated catalyst was collected as catalyst recovery. The glycerol was analyzed to determine the reaction convertion. Methyl ester was analyzed using GC-MS method. The result showed that the catalyst recovery decreased from 76,4% to 65,3% and the convertion from GC-MS was 66,11%  for 6 hours.