Isolation of Methyl Laurate from Coconut Oil as Raw Material for Fatty Alcohol Sulfate

Authors

Rita Arbianti, Departemen Teknik Kimia, Fakultas Teknik, Universitas Indonesia, Depok 16424, IndonesiaFollow
Tania Surya Utami, Departemen Teknik Kimia, Fakultas Teknik, Universitas Indonesia, Depok 16424, IndonesiaFollow
Astri Nugroho, Departemen Teknik Kimia, Fakultas Teknik, Universitas Indonesia, Depok 16424, Indonesia

Abstract

Isolation of Methyl Laurate from Coconut Oil as Raw Material for Fatty Alcohol Sulfate. Methyl laurate is a raw or base material for many industries, including surfactant industries. In this research, coconut oil (VCO) is transesterified with methanol to produce methyl ester, using NaOH as the catalyst. Methyl laurate is then separated by method based on the difference in melting point. This research focuses at determining the effects of some variables in transesterification on the concentration of produced methyl laurate. The variables are temperature (40 oC, 50 oC, 60 oC, 80 oC), time of transesterification reaction (0,5 hour, 1 hour, 1,5 hours, 2 hours, 3 hours), and the percent weight of the catalyst NaOH (0,5 %, 1 %, 1,5 %, 2 %, 3 %). Research showed the concentration of methyl laurate increased, following the increased temperature, time, and percent weight of catalysts. Optimal conditions were acquired at reaction temperature of 60oC, reaction time of 2 hours, and percent weight of the catalyst NaOH of 2 %. Laurate acid conversion to methyl laurate that yielded from optimal conditions, after the separation based on melting point, was 55,61 %.

Bahasa Abstract

Metil laurat merupakan bahan baku atau bahan dasar bagi banyak industri, termasuk industri surfaktan, yang dapat diisolasi dari minyak kelapa. Pada penelitian ini minyak kelapa (VCO) awalnya ditransesterifikasi dengan metanol untuk menghasilkan metil ester dengan menggunakan NaOH sebagai katalis. Metil laurat dipisahkan dari metil ester dengan menggunakan metode pemisahan berdasarkan perbedaan titik leleh. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mengkaji pengaruh beberapa variabel dalam transesterifikasi terhadap konsentrasi metil laurat yang dihasilkan. Variabel-variabel yang diamati yaitu suhu (40 oC, 50 oC, 60 oC, 80 oC), waktu reaksi transesterifikasi (0,5 jam, 1 jam, 1,5 jam, 2 jam, 3 jam), dan persen berat katalis NaOH (0,5 %, 1 %, 1,5 %, 2 %, 3 %). Pada penelitian ini, konsentrasi metil laurat secara umum meningkat seiring kenaikan suhu, waktu, dan persen berat katalis. Kondisi optimum diperoleh pada suhu reaksi 60oC, waktu reaksi 2 jam, dan konsentrasi NaOH 2 % berat. Konversi asam laurat menjadi metil laurat yang diperoleh dari kondisi optimum setelah dilakukan pemisahan berdasarkan titik leleh adalah 55,61 %.

References

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3. D. Darnoko, Cheryan Munir, Kinetics of Palm Oil Transesterification in a Batch Reactor, University of Illinois, Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition, Agricultural Bioprocess Laboratory, Urbdna, Illinois 61801, 2002.
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5. B. Freedman, Methyl Ester-Manufacture and Utilization, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Peoria, Illinois, 2000.

Recommended Citation

Arbianti, Rita; Utami, Tania Surya; and Nugroho, Astri (2008) "Isolation of Methyl Laurate from Coconut Oil as Raw Material for Fatty Alcohol Sulfate," Makara Journal of Technology: Vol. 12: Iss. 2, Article 1.
DOI: 10.7454/mst.v12i2.508
Available at: https://scholarhub.ui.ac.id/mjt/vol12/iss2/1