SYNTHESIS OF Fe3O4/ZEOLIT AND α-Fe2O3/ZEOLIT NANOCOMPOSITES USING MICROWAVE HEATING METHOD AND THE PRELIMINARY STUDY OF THEIR APPLICATIONS IN VISCOSITY REDUCTION OF HEAVY OIL

• Main Author: FITRIANI (NIM : 10209105); Pembimbing : Dr. Eng. Ferry Iskandar, PIPIT
• Format: Final Project
• Language: Indonesia
• Online Access: https://digilib.itb.ac.id/gdl/view/20393
• Institution: Institut Teknologi Bandung

In this research, Fe3O4/Zeolite dan &#945;-Fe2O3/Zeolite nanocomposites have been synthesized using microwave heating method. Raw materials used in Fe3O4/Zeolite nanocomposite synthesis were FeCl3.6H2O, FeSO4.7H2O, and NH4OH while for &#945;Fe2O3/Zeolite nanocomposite synthesis were FeCl3.6H2O and NaOH. Zeolites were used for composites is the natural zeolite of heulandite type that has been milling for 8 hours and then thermally activated at temperature of 300oC for 3 hours. This study was divided into 3 parts, the effect of zeolite composition on total composition, ie 50%, 67%, 75%, and 80% on the &#945;-Fe2O3/Zeolite and Fe3O4/Zeolite synthesis, the effect of microwave time heating in the synthesis of Fe3O4/Zeolite, and the effect of calcination temperature in the synthesis of &#945;-Fe2O3/Zeolite. <br /> <br /> <br /> Fe3O4/Zeolite and &#945;-Fe2O3/Zeolite powders were colored by grayish and reddish, respectively. Both materials were characterized by X-Ray Difraction (XRD) to figure out their crystal structure. Three samples of Fe3O4/Zeolite nanocomposites were heated by microwave for 5 minutes, 7 minutes, and 9 minutes. The sample with 5 minutes of microwave time heating showed no peak of both Fe3O4 and zeolite in XRD difracation pattern. Otherwise both sample with 7 minutes and 9 minutes microwave time heating showed them. For &#945;-Fe2O3/Zeolite nanocomposites, peak on difraction pattern for &#945;-Fe2O3/Zeolite and zeolite was showed up when calcination temperature was rised to 400oC and 450oC. <br /> <br /> <br /> Morphology and particles distribution of Fe3O4/Zeolite 50% nanocomposite with 7 minutes of microwave time heating and &#945;-Fe2O3/Zeolite 80% nanocomposites which calcined at 400oC temperature were investigated by SEM. Both of these nanocomposite particles showed no homogeneous spherical morphology. The average particles size obtained for each nanocomposites of Fe3O4/Zeolite 50% with 7 minutes microwave time heating and &#945;-Fe2O3/Zeolit 80% calcined at 400oC temperature was 86 nm and 93 nm respectively. Furthermore, to investigate the content of elements in the composite was obtained with EDX characterization. Any element of Si and Al indicates that the zeolite contained in the composite due to Si and Al is a zeolite-forming element. <br /> <br /> <br /> In the appilcation of aquathermolysis reaction, heavy oil, catalyst, and water were added in autoclave and the reaction lasted for 6 hours with a temperature of 200oC. The results showed Fe3O4/Zeolite nanocomposite has better catalytic properties than &#945;-Fe2O3/Zeolite. An increasing number of zeolite composition on composites, the catalytic properties also showed the better results. Fe3O4/Zeolite 80% nanocomposite become the best catalyst because it can reduce the viscosity of heavy oil up to 92%.