Enhanced Electro-Catalytic Process on the Synthesis of FAME Using CaO from Eggshell

The nature of the consumerist society of Indonesia with regard to the use of petroleum oil has increased. However, it is not comparable with the figures for petroleum reserves in natural deposits. Therefore, the problem has encouraged the Indonesia to be able to find an alternative new and renewable energy that is biodiesel. In this study, the biodiesel has been produced using electro-catalytic process that was enhanced by relatively high activity CaO catalyst made from eggshell, featured with high alkaline properties, large surface area and good cycling. The performance of CaO obtained from two types treatment of egg shell that was calcination (900 °C)-hydration (60 °C)-dehydration (600 °C) and calcined at 900 °C treatment were tested for its catalytic activity via electro-catalytic transesterification of soybean oil and used-cooking oil at room temperature. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD) was performed to characterize the microstructures and chemical properties of as-prepared calcination-hydration-dehydration of eggshell material. The evaluation of the synthesis process of fatty acid methyl ester (FAME) was followed by GC-MS, determining the purity of FAME ratio at different operation variables. The results showed that for soybean as a feedstock, the FAME conversion was 97.35% for CaO-900-600 and it was 98.37% for CaO-900 in a 20 wt% catalyst loading (based on oil weight). However, a similar result of FAME quantity for both catalysts was obtained when using used-cooking oil as a feedstock in the experiment. In addition, a 10% catalyst loading was also tested in the synthesis with FAME yield as much as 98.99%.