Characterization of Cacao Fruit Skin for Active Carbon and Green Chemicals

Abstract

The potential of cacao fruit skin that has not been widely used by the community are encouraged to develop the cacao fruit skinas bio charcoal. One way to reduce the build up of biomass waste is by pyrolysis derived from combustion products that produce liquid smoke, charcoal and some gases (CO₂, H₂, and CO₂). The purpose of this research is to utilize cacao peel to get the liquid smoke of cacao skin and cacao charcoal. The result of this research showed that the skin of cacao fruit produce hemicellulose content of 21.06%, cellulose of 20.15% and lignin of 51.98%. The analysis result of carbon content of cacao skin activated charcoal from Luwu regency is 55.11%. FT-IR analysis of the cacao skin powder from Luwu regency showed that there were depolymerization for cellulose and hemicellulose contentsat the wave number of 1107.14 cm^-1 andfound C-H of lignin at the wave number of 1730.15 cm^-1. The hydroxyl group (OH) appeared on the wave number of 3441.01 cm^-1 and group of C = CH (Aromatic H) on the wave number of781.17 – 659.66 cm^-1. Crystallinity degree of cacao fruits skin from Luwu which was obtained from XRD analysis is 12.66%. The wasteutilization of this cacao fruit skin with pyrolysis technology is able to reduce carbon emissions and can be as a supporter of sustainable development program.