Biodiesel Production From Beef Tallow, Catalyzed by Potasium Hidroxide in Ethanol

Abstract

A research on conversion of beef tallow into biodiesel using potassium hydroxide (KOH) catalyst has been done. Production of the biodiesel was conducted by esterification process and continued by transesterification process. Esterification process was carried out using 1.25 wt% of 1 M H₂SO₄ as a catalyst with a molar ratio of beef tallow to ethanol of 1:9. After the esterification, oil was separated from ethanol followed by a transesterification step with a molar ratio of 1:12 (tallow to ethanol) using KOH catalyst with varios concentrations; 0.5%, 1.0 % and 1.5% (toward oils and ethanol). The biodiesel produced was characterized by FT-IR, ¹HNMR, and Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS). According to ¹H-NMR result, biodesel yields is 44.30%, and experimentally yields was 41.06%. Physical characterization was determined by ASTM method and the results obtained were as follows: specific gravity = 0.8641 g/cm³, kinematic viscosity = 5.156 cSt, flash point = 102.5 °C, pour point = 21 °C, and conradson carbon residue = 0.035%.