POLYGLYCEROL SYNTHESIS USING KOH-DMSO & K2CO3-ZNO CATALYSTS: INVESTIGATION OF REACTION TIME, KOH-DMSO CONCENTRATION, AND K2CO3-ZNO COMPOSITION

• Main Author: Mulki Anas Suyadi, Malikul
• Format: Final Project
• Language: Indonesia
• Online Access: https://digilib.itb.ac.id/gdl/view/73237
• Institution: Institut Teknologi Bandung

Malikul Mulki Anas SuyadiOne of the efforts to utilize crude glycerol is by purifying it first and converting it into polyglycerol. Based on industrial-scale production, the synthesis of polyglycerol is often carried out at high temperatures and long reaction times. Therefore, this research aims to synthesize polyglycerol under low-temperature operating conditions, short reaction times, and high selectivity to make the process more efficient and sustainable. To achieve this, glycerol is reacted with KOH & DMSO and K2CO3& ZnO catalysts. The yield of oligomers ranging from diglycerol to hexaglycerol obtained from using KOH and 5 mL of DMSO for reaction times of 2 hours, 4 hours, 6 hours, and 8 hours, respectively, is 9.33%, 32.46%, 36.40%, and 51.10%. For the yield obtained from using 10 mL of DMSO with a 2-hour reaction time, it is 25.23% for diglycerol to hexaglycerol and 58.98% for long-chain polyglycerol. For the yield obtained from using 1 mL of DMSO, no glycerol is converted, resulting in a yield of 0%. The fast reaction time and relatively high yield are due to the KOH-DMSO mixture forming a superbase medium. The yield of polyglycerol using the K2CO3+ ZnO catalyst is 0% because no glycerol is successfully converted. This is because the solubility property of ZnO in glycerol hinders the polymerization process. From the use of KOH & DMSO, it is shown that the production of polyglycerol does not require high temperatures as currently used in the polyglycerol industry. Ultimately, this efficient and sustainable synthesis of polyglycerol is expected to be commercialized so that the by-product from biodiesel production can be utilized with high added value.