EVALUATION OF NICKEL-BASED CATALYST SUPPORTED ON SIO2/ZSM-5 FOR CATALYTIC CONVERSION OF GLUCOSE TO SORBITOL

• Main Author: Sayyidatun Nisa - Nim: 13013091, Khadijah
• Format: Final Project
• Language: Indonesia
• Online Access: https://digilib.itb.ac.id/gdl/view/22805
• Institution: Institut Teknologi Bandung

Indonesia has abundant source of lignocellulosic biomass. The main component of biomass is cellulose. Cellulose can be converted into other fine chemicals, such as sorbitol. Sorbitol can be obtained from cellulose by hydrolyzing cellulose to form glucose and then converting aldehyde group in glucose to form hydroxyl group. Sorbitol has many functions, so that sorbitol has a promising market. For those reason, the research to optimize sorbitol’s yield in mild operation condition is needed to enhance sorbitol industry in Indonesia. The aim of this research is to find the heterogeneous catalyst which can give high conversion in mild condition. <br /> <br /> <br /> Heterogenous catalyst that is used is nickel based catalyst with SiO2 and ZSM-5 support. First, sorbitol is synthesized from glucose to see the performance of the catalyst. Catalyst which has the best performance then used to synthesize sorbitol from cellulose. Variation on this research is support, metal-loading, calcination temperature, and operation temperature. <br /> <br /> <br /> This research consists of two main steps, which are catalyst synthesis as well as analysis of characterization and catalyst activity. The nickel catalysts is made by undergoing dry impregnation method. Nickel catalyst’s performance then tested by using it to convert glucose to sorbitol. The catalyst also analyzed with X-Ray Diffractometer and Gas Sorption Analyzer to investigate the active component of catalyst and the amount of catalyst absorbed on the support. The catalyst that give the best performance in converting glucose to sorbitol then tested to convert cellulose to sorbitol. Meanwhile, the sorbitol product then analyzed by High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) to determine sorbitol conversion, yield, and selectivity. <br /> <br />