SYNTHESIS OF GRAPHITIC CARBON FROM PALM KERNEL CAKE

• Main Author: MUTHIA (NIM: 23315006), SENNI
• Format: Theses
• Language: Indonesia
• Online Access: https://digilib.itb.ac.id/gdl/view/30876
• Institution: Institut Teknologi Bandung

Generally, synthetic graphite is produced using commercial precursors such as petroleum and coal with graphitization processes that require very high temperatures (> 2500°C). There are alternatives to other carbon precursors and graphitization processes at moderate temperatures for the production of synthetic graphite. One is to use biomass waste as a carbon source and graphite production process using catalytic graphitization method at <1000°C. The main advantage of catalytic graphitization is that it allows transformation of graphitizing and non-graphitizing precursors into graphitic carbon at a moderate temperature (<1000°C). Some examples of biomass waste investigated by researchers as carbon sources for graphite synthesis or graphene-based materials include using pine residue, camphor leaves, grass, bagasse, wood, and wheat straw. <br /> <br /> In Indonesia, one of the most abundant sources of carbon is palm oil waste. Indonesia is the world's largest producer and exporter of palm oil. Indonesia's palm oil production in 2015 reached 31.28 million tons. Nevertheless, the palm oil industry in Indonesia has also produced a number of biomass wastes, mainly from grinding and crushing the palm kernel. Milling and crushing of palm kernel produced 43% palm kernel oil, 53% of waste was palm kernel cake, and 4% remaining. A small portion of palm kernel waste waste is utilized by private and animal feed factories, while the rest is wasted. <br /> <br /> In this research, biomass waste is used in the form of palm kernel cake by utilizing cellulose content (C6H10O5) in it as carbon source. The stages of this research are cellulose extraction, hydrochar synthesis from cellulose using hydrothermal carbonization method at 220°C, hydrochlor immersion with catalyst, graphitic carbon synthesis from hydrochar, and reflux to remove catalyst. Graphitic carbon synthesis was performed using catalytic graphitization method at 900°C for three hours with nitrogen gas. The catalyst used in this research is iron (III) nitrate nonahydrate (Fe (NO3)3 9H2O) with variation of catalyst immersion time is 12 hours, 24 hours and 36 hours. Hypothesis of this research is the use of hydrothermal carbonization method and catalytic graphitization at palm kernel cake can produce graphitic carbon nanostructures material. The purpose of this research is to know the graphitic carbon morphology formed after the catalytic graphitization process is done, to know the effect of reflux (oxidative treatment) in removing the catalyst and the graphitic carbon morphology that is formed, and investigate the effect of catalyst immersion time on the crystallinity of graphitic carbon.The characteristics of this study were Fourier-Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR), Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM), Energy Dispersive X-Ray Analysis (EDX), and X-ray Powder Diffraction XRD). <br /> <br /> The result of this research is the morphology of graphitic carbon in the form of nanocoil with diameter ranging from 10-25 nm. The oxidative treatment using KMnO4 and H2SO4 was able to remove most of Fe catalysts as much as 89,05-92,8%, no change in graphitic carbon morphology was formed, but there was still amorphous carbon and SiO2 in the sample. The degree of crystallinity of sample D (12 hours), E (24 hours), and F (36 hours) was 44.26%; 28.9%; and 29.4%. This indicates that the Fe catalyst immersion time has an effect on the degree of crystallinity, where catalyst immersion over 12 hours decreases the crystallinity of the sample. The results of this study indicate that palm kernel oil waste can produce graphitic carbon nanostructures material. <br />