EFFECT OF DESILICATION PROCESS ON NATURAL ZEOLITE AS Ni CATALYST SUPPORT ON HYDRODEOXYGENATION OF PALM FATTY ACID DISTILLATE (PFAD) INTO GREEN DIESEL
Isalmi Aziz(1,2), Purwantiningsih Sugita(1,3,*), Noviyan Darmawan(1,3) and A. Adep Dwiatmoko(4)

(1) Department of Chemistry, IPB University, Bogor 16680, Indonesia
(2) Department of Chemistry, Syarif Hidayatullah State Islamic University Jakarta, South Tangerang 15412, Indonesia
(3) Halal Science Center, IPB University, Bogor 16129, Indonesia
(4) Research Center for Advanced Chemistry, National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN) South Tangerang 15314, Indonesia

Abstract

Natural zeolite (NZ) from the desilication was prepared to support the Ni catalyst. The catalyst was utilized for hydrodeoxygenation (HDO) of the palm fatty acid distillate (PFAD) into green diesel. Desilication using sodium hydroxide (NaOH) solution is believed to increase the porosity, surface area, and acidity of the natural zeolite so that the catalytic activity increases. This study aims to determine the effect of the concentration of NaOH solution used in the desilication process on the characteristics and catalytic activity of the Ni/NZ catalyst. The pure Ni and Ni/NZ without desilication were also studied for comparison. Natural zeolite was dedicated by varying the concentration of NaOH (0,5- 1 and 2 N). Desilicated zeolite was then activated using 1 M ammonium acetate solution and impregnated with Ni metals. The desilication NZ was found to increase catalyst acidity and surface area at a low NaOH concentration, while the zeolite structure (clinoptilolite) was still intact. The catalytic activity of the catalyst was also increased compared to pure Ni and Ni/NZ without desilication. Conversely, a higher concentration of NaOH decreases the Si/Al ratio, catalyst acidity, and surface area. The catalytic activity decreases, as evidenced by the reduced yield of the liquid product from the hydrodeoxygenation of PFAD. Ni/NZ catalyst, desilicated with 0.5N NaOH, revealed the best catalytic activity with a product yield and green diesel selectivity of 83.64% and 95.42%, respectively.

Keywords: Natural zeolite, desilication, hidrodeoxygenation, palm fatty acid distillate, green diesel

Topic: Catalytic Chemistry