Study On Copper Incorporated Mesoporous Silica SBA-15 For N2O Catalytic Decomposition

Nitrous oxide (N2O) is an environmental pollutant because it is a relatively strong greenhouse effect gas and contributes towards the destruction of ozone in the stratosphere. Direct decomposition of N2O by catalysts represents one of the potential solutions to minimize N2O emissions. This research focuses on Cu incorporation into SBA-15 mesoporous silica by pH modification method using hexamethylenetetramine (HMTA) as an internal pH-modifier and its potential use as a catalyst for N2O decomposition. The effect of acidity on SBA-15 preparation through different initial HCl concentration and the addition of HMTA as pH modifier were investigated. The SBA-15 formed well-ordered hexagonal mesoporous structure at high acidity (2.0 M) and poor ordered hexagonal pore structure at low acidity condition (0.005 M). It was found that under moderate acidic condition (0.1 M HCl) with addition of HMTA (HMTA:Si molar ratio 1:10), well-ordered hexagonal mesoporous SBA-15 could be produced. Meanwhile, copper was chosen for further studies on metal incorporation of SBA-15 (M/SBA-15) because Cu-containing SBA-15 has the highest catalytic activity for N2O decomposition compared to that of other first row transition metals impregnated on SBA-15. Copper incorporated mesoporous silica (Cu-SBA-15) has been successfully prepared by direct synthesis under medium acidic condition with addition of HMTA as a pH modifier. The Cu/SBA-15 produced were characterised using XRD, N2 adsorption-desorption, TEM, SEM, FTIR, UV-vis, XPS and TPR. The results indicate that Cu was mainly incorporated into the framework of SBA-15. The unit-cell, surface area, pore volume and wall thickness increased after the incorporation of the copper ions in SBA-15. HMTA plays a very important role to increase internal pH in order to introduce copper into the framework of SBA-15 silica. Cu loading on Cu/SBA-15 determined using AAS is almost the same to the initial Cu amount, when the pH value is above isoelectronic of silica (pH=2) due to addition of HMTA. Higher amount of HMTA, however, lead to the destruction of SBA-15 structure. Compared with Cu/SBA-15 impregnation method, Cu/SBA-15 prepared through pH modification method shows much higher activity for N2O catalytic decomposition due to 80% N2O conversion at 550C and reached 100% at 600°C. The activation energy for the reaction catalysed by Cu/SBA-15 prepared through pH modification method is 91.9 – 121.6 kJ/mol. This is much lower compared to that catalysed by Cu/SBA-15 prepared though impregnation, that is in the range between 148.5 – 173.9 kJ/mol. Cu/SBA-15 incorporated sample also has higher activity due catalytic activity started at 300 °C and reaches more 80% conversion at 500°C for catalytic reduction of N2O by CH4

Binary mixture of the decanter cake and fiber from the oil palm industry waste as a solid fuel

This study relates to the production of solid fuel using waste products from the palm oil processing industry. Enclosed, the purpose of the study was to produce solid fuel from a binary mixture of decanter cake with the palm fiber. The sample was created based on decanter cake: fiber ratio, weight of loading and type of fiber. The sample were shaped into hexagons (radius= 2.34cm and length 8.0 cm). The sample was undergo moisture test, compression test and bomb calorimeter test. The study found out that the best mixture ratio among all of the sample ratio were 70% decanter cake and 30% fiber. The DC:F ratio of 70:30 has the highest compression force (2016 N) and nearest calorific value (4508 cal/g) compared to the commercial solid fuel which the compression force was 2390 N and calorific was 5321 cal/g

CARBON ADSORBENT PREPARED FROM WASTE MATERIALS FOR LPG GAS STORAGE MEDIA

Coconut shell and oil palm shell are an agricultural waste material found abundantly in Malaysia. Since the characteristics of coconut shell and oil palm shell were found suitable for preparing activated carbon, these materials also have the potential to be prepared into useful and valuable product. This research, the concern is to make use of coconut shell or oil palm shell which it mixed with plastic bag to prepare the carbon adsorbent, which applied for hydrocarbon gas storage. This sample was prepared at a laboratory scale fixed-bed reactor, which is blanketed by a vertical furnace where pyrolysis took place. Nitrogen gas was used to obtain an inert atmosphere in the reactor. A suction blower was used to remove volatile matter as well as other gases during carbonization process. The samples were prepared in the different peak temperature and amount of the plastic bag which it mixed with them. CO2 activation also was used to investigate the effect of it in the sample. This research work will attempt to find a suitable solution to solve the environmental problems by utilizing the waste materials and to look into the industrial aspect of adsorption process for gas storage

Influence of heating temperature and holding time on biochars derived from rubber wood sawdust via slow pyrolysis

Biochar samples were produced from rubber wood sawdust (RWSD), which is a by-product from sawmills, via slow pyrolysis. Biochar is a potential additive for agricultural soil as a soil amendment and for agronomics. The approach proposed in the current study considers the effects of heating temperature and holding time on the surface functional groups and morphologies of RWSD-derived biochars. The pyrolysis was performed in a vertical tube furnace heated at 5 °C/min from room temperature to maximum heating temperatures of 300 °C, 400 °C, 500 °C and 700 °C under nitrogen gas purging at a rate of 30 ml/min. Two sets of biochars were produced with holding times of (i) 1 h and (ii) 3 h. Proximate and ultimate analyses were performed on the raw RWSD using thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and carbon–hydrogen–nitrogen (CHN) elemental analysis. The influence of heating temperature and holding time on biochar surface functional groups and porosities was investigated using X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy, Boehm titration, pH alkalinity, Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET) surface area analysis, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and SEM with energy-dispersive X-ray (SEM–EDX) spectrocopy. The FT-IR spectra indicated the presence of acidic functional groups, such as carboxylic, phenolic and lactonic groups, and these groups were quantified by Boehm titration. The number of acidic functional groups decreased as the heating temperature and holding time increased. The maximum amount of acidic functional groups was determined to be 1.9 mmol/g at 300 °C for a 1-h holding time compared to 1.3 mmol/g for a 3-h holding time and 1.0 mmol/g with a 1-h holding time at 700 °C. All of the biochars produced at heating temperatures above 400 °C were alkaline, and the pH value increased as the heating temperature and holding time increased. The biochar produced at 300 °C with a 1-h holding time had a pH of 6.72 and the sample produced with a 3-h holding time had a pH of 7.67. In addition, the sample produced when the temperature was increased to 700 °C with a 1-h holding time had a pH of 11.44. The BET surface area analysis reported maximum values of 5.49 m2/g, and the total pore volume was 0.0097 cm3/g at a heating temperature of 700 °C with a 3-h holding time. SEM micrographs clearly showed the development of well-defined pores in the biochars, and the SEM–EDX spectra indicated localised carbon and oxygen content in all the samples. The results indicated that biochars produced from RWSD are potentially beneficial as soil amendments. However, an extensive study of biochar sustainability is worth investigating

DEVELOPMENT OF TIN (IV) OXIDE BASED CATALYST FOR CARBON MONOXIDE EMISSION CONTROL

Tin (IV) oxide has been recognized as an alternative catalyst for carbon monoxide gas treatment generated from vehicular and industrial activities. Carbon monoxide is a poisonous gas produce from incomplete burning of hydrocarbon based fuel and emitted directly from vehicles tailpipes which can affect human health. In this research, tin (IV) oxide was used as a catalyst with the addition of cobalt (II) oxide and nickel (II) oxide as dopants, prepared by modification of sol-gel method. The catalytic ability was tested towards the oxidation of carbon monoxide using Continuous Fixed Bed Reactor (SELOX) instrument. Two catalysts, ECAT1-400 calcined at 400°C and ECAT2-600 calcined at 600°C gave a promising catalytic ability towards carbon monoxide oxidation. Both catalysts completed the carbon monoxide oxidation to carbon dioxide at 215°C and 200°C (commercial catalyst, Pt/ Al2O3 at 200°C). Several techniques were used in this research to characterize the physical and chemical properties of the catalyst materials. The nitrogen adsorption analysis reveals that the best prepared catalyst, ECAT2-600 is in form of mesopore, open cylindrical in shaped with pore diameter of 10nm. The x-ray diffraction analysis shows the presence of SnO2 tetragonal and Co3O4 cubic phase which act as the active site in the catalytic oxidation. The existence of cobalt oxide (in a mixture of Co2+ and Co3+) expected to contribute the excellent oxidation of carbon monoxide

Study on copper incorporated mesoporous silica SBA-15 for N2O catalytic decomposition

Nitrous oxide (N20) is an environmental pollutant because it is a relatively strong greenhouse effect gas and contributes towards the destruction of ozone in the stratosphere. Direct decomposition of N20 by catalysts represents one of the potential solutions to minimize N20 emissions. This research, focuses on Cu incorporation into SBA-15 mesoporous silica by pH modification method using hexamethylenetetrarnine (HMTA) as an internal pH-modifier and its potential use as a catalyst for N20 decomposition. The effect of acidity on SBA-15 preparation through different initial HC1 concentration and the addition of HMTA as pH modifier were investigated. The SBA-15 formed well-ordered hexagonal mesoporous structure at high acidity (2.0 M) and poor ordered hexagonal pore structure at low acidity condition (0.005 M). It was found that under moderate acidic condition (0.1 M HC1) with addition of HMTA (HMTA:Si molar ratio 1:10), well-ordered hexagonal mesoporous SBA-15 could be produced. Meanwhile, copper was chosen for further studies on metal incorporation of SBA-15 (M/SBA-15) because Cu-containing SBA-15 has the highest catalytic activity for N20 decomposition compared to that of other first row transition metals impregnated on SBA-15. Copper incorporated mesoporous silica (Cu-SBA-15) has been successfully prepared by direct synthesis under medium acidic condition with addition of HMTA as a pH modifier. The Cu/SBA-15 produced were characterised using XRD, N2 adsorption-desorption, TEM, SEM, FT-IR, UV-vi, XPS and TPR. The results indicate that Cu was mainly incorporated into the framework of SBA- 15. The unit-cell, surface area, pore volume and wall thickness increased after the incorporation of the copper ions in SBA-15. HMTA plays a very important role to increase internal pH in order to introduce copper into the framework of SBA- 15 silica. Cu loading on Cu/SBA- 15 determined using AAS is almost the same to the initial Cu amount, when the pH value is above isoelectronic of silica (pH=2) due to addition of HMTA. Higher amount of HMTA, however, lead to the destruction of SBA-15 structure. Compared with Cu/SBA-15 impregnation method, Cu/SBA-15 prepared through pH modification method shows much higher activity for N20 catalytic decomposition due to 80% N20 conversion at 550 °C and reached 100% at 600 °C. The activation energy for the reaction catalysed by Cu/SBA-15 prepared through pH modification method is 91.9 -121.6 kJ/mol. This is much lower compared to that catalysed by CU/SBA-15 prepared though impregnation, that is in the range between 148.5 - 173.9 kJ/mol. Cu/SBA-15 incorporated sample also has higher activity due catalytic activity started at 300 °C and reaches more 80% conversion at 500 °C for catalytic reduction of N 20 by CH4

Waste to Valuable by-Product: Kinetic and Thermodynamic Studies of Cd, Cu and Pb Ion Removal by Decanter Cake

Palm oil mills generate about 4 - 5 tons of decanter cake for every 100 tons of palm fresh fruit bunch processed. Due to the high organic content, the decanter cake could be converted to adsorbent for the removal of metal ions from waste water. The decanter cake was first dried at 105oC and then carbonized at 500 oC. Earlier data showed that 500 oC had highest performance in ions removal. The resulting carbonized decanter cake were tested for removing cadmium (II), copper (II), and lead (II) ions. Proximate analysis using thermogravimetry of decanter cake carbonized at 500 oC indicated that the adsorbent contained 4% moisture, 21% volatile, 23% fixed carbon, and 52% ash. Adsorption test was carried out by mixing 1.0 g of the decanter cake in 100 mL aqueous solution of the various ions. Langmuir and Freundlich isotherm models were used to fit the isotherm experimental data. The maximum uptakes of Cd, Cu and Pb onto the carbonized decanter cake in this study were estimated to be 24, 23, and 97 mg/g respectively. The adsorption kinetics was found to follow the pseudo second- order kinetic model. Thermodynamic parameters such as standard enthalpy (delta Ho), standard entropy (delta So) and standard free energy (delta Go) were determined

Solid Fuels from Decanter Cake and Other Palm Oil Industry Waste

Palm oil milling plant generates about 4 – 5 wt % of decanter cake from the total weight of fresh fruit bunch processed. The decanter cake was dried overnight in an oven at 105 °C to reduce moisture content before it could be used as solid fuel. Thermogravimetry analysis, pyrolysis and combustion of the dried decanter cake were performed to characterise it. The proximate analysis indicated that the dried decanter cake contained 5 wt% moisture, 65 wt% volatile, 11 wt% fixed carbon and 19 wt% ash. The calorific value of the solid fuel from decanter cake was determined using oxygen bomb calorimeter. Its’ higher heating value (HHV) was determined to be 17.96 MJ/kg, comparable to that of other biomass either from palm oil waste or other agricultural waste. The solid fuel from decanter cake is found to be a suitable replacement for other biomass and coke based solid fuels

Solid Fuel from Decanter Cake: A Preliminary Study

Decanter cakes are the major wastes in crude palm oil industry which are currently disposed in the landfill or reuse as fertilizer. But on other side, decanter cakes has potentially as a solid fuel same as a charcoal or wood briquette, based on their calorific value cause of the residual oil in decanter cakes. This paper presents the initial findings of a thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and heat of combustions by using oxygen bomb calorimeter methods for characterizing the different pyrolyzed decanter cakes (PDC). Meanwhile, the actual heat transferred value technique for comparing potential decanter cake with commercial solid fuel types, charcoal, coconut charcoal and charcoal briquette. Observation about flame, duration time of burning process and ash contents also will take out for comparison