Abstract:
This research aims to synthesize biodiesel using a CaO catalyst from blood cockle shells
impregnated with SiO2 from coconut fiber at a concentration of 3% w/w. The resulting
catalyst was characterized using the Brunauer Emmett Teller (BET) method showing that
the surface area of the 3% CaO-SiO2 catalyst had a higher area compared to CaO without
modification. Scanning electron microscopy-energy dispersive x-ray spectroscopy (SEMEDX)
had a rough surface morphology. and agglomerate and the main elemental
composition of the 3% CaO-SiO2 catalyst is Ca, Si and O, and the basicity test of the 3%
CaO-SiO2 catalyst has lower basicity compared to CaO. Biodiesel production is carried
out by varying catalyst weight, temperature and reaction time with optimization using the
Response Surace Methodology (RSM) design. Characterization of biodiesel produced
from a 3% CaO-SiO2 catalyst has water content, specific gravity, viscosity and carbon
residue which generally meets the quality requirements of SNI 7182-2015, except for the
acid number.
