Synthesis Bio-gasoline from Crude Palm Oil Offgrade via Catalytic Cracking Using CaO/α-Fe₂O₃ Heterogeneous Catalyst

Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, Department of Chemistry, Malang University, 65145 Indonesia

^* Corresponding author: aman.santoso.fmipa@um.ac.id

Abstract

The continuous use of fuel reduces oil reserves which causes the availability of petroleum in Indonesia tend to decrease. To overcome the problem of oil supplies, renewable energy is needed as an alternative fuel, one of which is bio-gasoline as a substitute for gasoline. Bio-gasoline can be made from Crude Palm Oil offgrade via catalytic cracking that has the advantage of simple tools and shorter processes cracking. Heterogeneous catalyst CaO/α-Fe₂O₃ made of alkaline calcium oxide which can reduce the acidity of biogasoline and α-Fe₂O₃ nanoparticles acidic which can trigger the breakdown of the hydrocarbon chain. This study aims to synthesize bio-gasoline from CPO offgrade through catalytic cracking reactions using CaO/α-Fe₂O₃ heterogeneous catalyst. The results showed that bio-gasoline has been successfully produced by the cracking method with a yield of 46.18%. Based on GC-MS analysis of the product it is suspected to contain mixed compounds from the biogasoline such as heptane, octane, decane, nonane, and undecane. Physico-chemical characteristics of the biogasoline product for fraction III (F₃) include density, viscosity, acid number, iodine number, and refractive index respectively of 0.73 g/mL; 2.76 cSt; 15.639 mg KOH/g sample; 2.29 g Iod/100g sample; and 1.465. The Biogasoline characterization is close to the Gasoline quality standard No. 0177.K/10/DJM.T/2018.