ABSTRACT
The research primarily focused on enhancing the efficiency of biodiesel production from palm kernel oil using a mixture of pig bone and cocoa pod doped with iron chloride and nickel nitrate, acting as a bifunctional catalyst. Response surface methodology was employed for this optimization process. The impact of four variable input parameters—reaction temperature, time, catalyst loading, and oil to methanol ratio—on the biodiesel yield was analyzed using the Box Behken design (BBD). The palm kernel oil (PKO) utilized in this study is a non-edible oil extracted from the palm fruit kernel. The characterization of the oil encompassed various parameters such as Saponification value, Free Fatty Acid content, Density, Kinematic viscosity, Moisture content, Specific gravity, and Acid Values, which were measured as 206 mg KOH/g, 5.20, 0.887 g/cm3 , 115.55 mm2 /s, 0.28%, 0.903, and 1.92 mg/KOH/g, respectively. Optimal reaction conditions were determined based on the highest biodiesel yield of 88.4% achieved, resulting from a reaction temperature of 55°C, a reaction time of 75 minutes, a methanol to oil ratio of 18:1, and a catalyst loading of 5%wt. Characterization of the catalyst involved several analytical techniques including BET analysis, XRD analysis, X-ray fluorescence (XRF), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and thermos-gravimetric analysis (TGA). The XRF analysis of the catalyst revealed composition percentages of 41.426% CaO, 15.265% phosphorus oxide, and 13.689% iron oxide. The SEM image exhibited a fine-grained morphology akin to hydrated sand, signifying an appropriate surface area for enhanced catalytic activity, confirming its suitability as a heterogeneous catalyst. The resulting biodiesel from palm kernel oil demonstrated high-quality properties meeting the ASTM standard for biodiesel, indicating its potential as a viable alternative fuel source.
