Catalytic epoxidation of palm oleic acid by heterogeneous catalysts: Optimization and kinetic model

Abstract

AbstractEpoxidized vegetable oils can produce a natural‐based polymer product as chemical reaction intermediates, plasticisers, and stabilizers in polyvinyl chloride. This study aims to identify the effects of using different concentrations of hydrogen peroxide and the effect of different molar ratios of hydrogen peroxide on relative conversion to oxirane. Epoxidized palm oil was produced in situ using performic acid as epoxidation agents and titanium dioxide as a catalyst. The results indicated that a higher concentration of hydrogen peroxide at 50% concentration and the ratio of 2:1 of hydrogen peroxide to palm oil used in the in situ epoxidation of had provided a higher relative conversion to oxirane (50%) in reaction time (70 min). Fourier transformation infrared spectroscopy revealed the presence of an oxirane group at 1200 cm−1. Numerical kinetic modeling was developed with applied genetic algorithm optimization to find the process model that fit experimental data. Then, the kinetic rate, k parameters obtained k11 = 0.031 mol L−1 min−1, k12 = 3.159 mol L−1 min−1, k2 = 2.620 mol L−1 min−1 for epoxidation palm oil, and k3 = 1.19 × 10−5 mol L−1 min−1 in degradation process.