PRODUCTION OF BIODIESEL FROM COCONUT OIL USING BIFUNCTIONAL CATALYST FROM CARB SHELLS AND COCONUT SHELL FOLLOWED BY ITS OPTIMIZATION

In this study, coconut oil (CO), which had been characterised and shown to have an Acid Value of 5.8 mg KOH/g, was utilised to optimise the synthesis of biodiesel, which was catalysed by a bio-based bi-functional catalyst, by esterifying and trans-esterifying the CO simultaneously. The carbonised and sulfurized coconut shell was used to create the acid precursor for the bio-based bi-functional catalyst, while the calcined and KOH-treated crab shell was used to create the base precursor. Both precursors were then impregnated. The synthesised bio-based catalyst was characterised using SEM, XRD, FTIR, and BET/BJH techniques. The experimental design was optimised using Box Behnken Design (BBD) for the simultaneous esterification and transesterification of CO. The measured response was the production of coconut oil methyl ester (COME). The methanol-to-oil molar ratio, reaction temperature, and catalyst loading had the biggest effects on COME yield among the factors. The study's ideal conditions were determined to be a 16.75:1 methanol to oil ratio, 1% catalyst loading, 58.19 °C, and a reaction duration of 78.76 min, yielding a COME yield of 85.73 wt% and an AV of 0.28 mg KOH/g. RSM and ANFIS models were compared using statistical data, and the results showed that the ANFIS model was more accurate than the RSM model. After characterising the COME obtained in the best possible condition, it was determined that its physicochemical parameters satisfied the ASTM D6751 and EN 14214 standards for biodiesel.