TB4092 BIOENERGY ENGINEERING AND CHEMURGY RESEARCH II KAPOK FIBER MODIFICATION BY REDUCED GRAPHENE OXIDE FOR OIL ABSORBENT

• Main Author: Laurent Tanujaya, Vincent
• Format: Final Project
• Language: Indonesia
• Online Access: https://digilib.itb.ac.id/gdl/view/48299
• Institution: Institut Teknologi Bandung

The palm oil processing industry produces oil-containing liquid waste that, if recovered, can increase palm oil yield by 0.6%. On the other hand, the industrialization of synthetic fibers has resulted in economical decline of both domestic and global cotton fibers industry. Kapok fiber has hydrophobic/oleophilic properties which renders it a potential oleochemical absorbent. Despite having high oil absorbing capacity and being biodegradable, raw cotton fiber has low oil selectivity, low oil retention, and a fragile structure. In supporting sustainable development goals (SDGs) number 1, 8, 9, 12, and 13, this study modifies kapok fiber with reduced graphene oxide (rGO) to obtain hydrophobic-oleophilic absorbent with high absorption capacity, high oil selectivity, high oil retention, and strong structur to maximize palm oil yield. Modification is done by soaking kapok fiber in GO supernatant, then reducing it with ascorbic acid and drying the fiber with the freeze drying method. Based on the results of economic and life cycle analysis, kapok-rGO sorbent is economically viable with a potential GPM greater than 36,27%, and environmentally beneficial as it can potentially decrease product carbon emissions by 32,814.89 kgeq CO2.