An innovative technique to suppress alkene-bond in green diesel by Mg–Fe basic soap thermal decarboxylation

ABSTRACT

The catalytic effect of magnesium and magnesium–zinc or copper(II), iron(III), aluminium(III), chromium(III) metal combination on ratio of the alkane to 1-alkenes and carbon number distribution in the green diesel product from metal basic soaps’ decarboxylation has been studied. Palm stearin was chosen as a model compound to produce metal basic soaps. Batch decarboxylation of metal basic soap was conducted at 350°C and atmospheric pressure for 3 h. Ratio of alkane to 1-alkene at the green diesel product was found following this order: Mg–Fe (14.6%) > Mg–Al (11.8%) > Mg–Cu (10.1%) > Mg–Zn (4.7%) > Mg–Cr (3.1%) > Mg (2.9%). Mg–Fe metal combination was preferable because it has high selectivity to alkane and capable of suppressing the 1-alkane formation during the metal basic soap decarboxylation process.

KEYWORDS:

• Basic soaps
• metal combination
• decarboxylation
• green diesel
• alkane

Acknowledgments

The authors thank Prof. Dr Soebagjo from the Laboratory of Chemical Reaction Engineering of Institut Teknologi Bandung for allowing the use of analytical equipment.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the Badan Pengelola Dana Perkebunan Kelapa Sawit Indonesia (BPDPKS) under 2017 grant.