This document presents a proposal for a study on synthesizing copper supported on palm kernel shell as a green catalyst. The objectives are to synthesize a green catalyst from palm kernel shell doped with copper, study its morphology, and optimize reaction conditions for the carboxylation of glycerol to glycerol carbonate. Characterization techniques like SEM, ATR-FTIR, and XRD will be used. The methodology involves preparing the catalyst via impregnation, carrying out the catalytic reaction while varying temperature, catalyst loading, time and pressure, and analyzing products using FTIR and GC-MS. Expected results are morphological analysis of the palm kernel shell and changes with pyrolysis. The conclusion is that palm kernel shell

1. FYP PROPOSAL PRESENTATION 2020
SYNTHESIS OF COPPER SUPPORTED ON PALM KERNEL SHELL
AS THE GREEN CATALYST
By:
FARHANIS NATASHA BINTI JAILANI
(S48239)
Supervised By:
DR NURUL ASHRAF BINTI RAZALI
Faculty of Ocean Engineering Technology and Informatics
Universiti Malaysia Terengganu
1

2. PRESENTATION OUTLINES
No. Title Page
1 Introduction 3
2 Problem Statements 4
3 Aim and Objectives 5
4 Scopes of Study 6
5 Significance of Study 7
6 Literature Review 8
7 Methodology 10
8 Expected Results 13
9 Conclusion 14
10 Selected References 15
2

3. 1.0 INTRODUCTION
3
An overview about the synthesis of metal supported
on char as the green catalysts.
By using carboxylation of glycerol technique, the
glycerol carbonate can be produced.
There are different types of char that can be used
which are rice husk char, plastic char, empty fruit
bunch char and palm kernel shell char.
Rice husk
Plastic
Empty
fruit bunch
Palm kernel
shell

4. 2.0 PROBLEM STATEMENTS
4
For every 10kg of biodiesel production, 1kg of glycerol will be produced.
(Razali et al., 2019)
A massive amount of waste from the palm oil extraction process can exceed 70–80 million tons per year.
(Roslan et al, 2014).
Disposal of glycerol waste cost an arm and leg in order to save environment.
Therefore, there is an initiative to utilise glycerol and convert it to the good products value which is glycerol
carbonate that has a high potential in economic and environmental concerns.

5. 3.0 AIM & OBJECTIVES
5
• To synthesis glycerol carbonate using copper
doped with palm kernel shell
AIM
• To synthesis green catalyst from palm kernel
shell doped with copper
• To study the morphology of catalyst prepared
• To optimize the reaction condition
OBJECTIVES

6. 4.0 SCOPES OF STUDY
6
Catalytic testing in
carboxylation glycerol to
glycerol carbonate
Temperature, Pressure,
Weight of catalyst and
Amount of catalyst
Characteristic of modification
of char for palm kernel shell
using:
1) Scanning Electron
Microscope (SEM)
2) Attenuated Total Reflection -
Fourier Transform Infrared
(ATR-FTIR)
3) X-Ray Diffraction (XRD)

7. 5.0 SIGNIFICANCE OF STUDY
7
• Malaysia is the second largest
palm oil producer in the world.
• Palm kernel shell from oil palm
plantation is used as a catalyst.
• 10 kg of biodiesel production, 1 kg of
glycerol will be produced.
• Utilize the glycerol into valuable
products such as glycerol carbonate.

8. 6.0 LITERATURE REVIEW
8
TYPES CATALYST PROS CONS
Transcarbonation
(Glycerol + Phosgene)
- - Simple
- Effective way
- Toxic
- Corrosive
- Need extra precaution
during handling
Carbonylation
(Glycerol + Urea)
- ZnO
- ZnSO4
- MnSO4
- Low cost
- Safe handling
- Readily available
- Formation of ammonia as
a by – product
- Difficult purification
Direct Carboxylation
(Glycerol + Carbon dioxide)
- Cu/Cl
- KOH/HCl
- Low cost
- No intermediate step
- Longer heating time
- Higher temperature
Transesterification
(Glycerol + Dimethyl carbonate)
- CaO
- K2CO3
- Non – corrosive
- Highly efficient catalyst
- Costly
- Product yield decrease
Table 1 shows 4 main routes for conversion of glycerol to glycerol carbonate (Ishak et al., 2017).

9. 9
Table 2 shows the summary of catalyst used for carboxylation of glycerol
CATALYST DEHYDRATING
AGENT
SOLVENT REACTION
PARAMETERS
GLYCEROL
CONVERSION
(%)
SELECTIVITY
(%)
YIELD
(%)
REFERENCE
Temp
(°C)
Time
(hr)
Pressure
(MPa)
La2O3 Adiponitrile - 160 18 4.5 54 2.3 1.2 (Razali et al.,
2019)
2%Au/ZnW
O4-
ZnO (Using
photo-
thermal
catalysis)
- - 150 - 8.0 - 100 10.6 (J. Liu et al.,
2018a)
ZnWO4-
ZnO
(10%W-Zn)
- DMF 150 6 5.0 - 100 6.5 (J. Liu & He,
2018)

10. 7.0 METHODOLOGY
10
MATERIALS:
Palm Kernel Shell (PKS)
PREPARATION OF CATALYST:
- The char was taken from Pyrolysis Technology Research Group University
Malaysia Terengganu (UMT).
- Prepared via impregnation method.
CHARACTERIZATION OF CATALYST:
Characterized the morphology by:
- Scanning Electron Method (SEM)
- Attenuated Total Reflection-Fourier Transform Infrared (ATR-FTIR)
- X-ray Diffraction (XRD)

11. 11
CATALYTIC REACTION:
The experiment will study the effect of these parameters towards the
glycerol carbonate formation which are:
- Reaction temperature
- Catalyst loading
- Reaction time
- Pressure
LIQUID SAMPLE ANALYSIS:
- Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy is used to
see the surface functionality of liquid samples.
- Gas chromatography - mass spectrometry is used to
identify the composition of liquid products collected.
% conversion = 100 × (
moles of glycerol consumed
moles of glycerol introduced
) %
selectivity = 100 × (
moles of glycerol carbonate formed
moles of glycerol consumed
)
The yield of glycerol carbonate from glycerol is the product of
conversion and selectivity (Razali, Conte et al. 2019)
Schematic diagram of
the reactor

12. Table 3 shows Gantt Chart of PITA 1 & 2
12
ACTIVITIES
PITA 1 PITA 2
OCT NOV DEC JAN FEB MAR APR MAY
PROPOSAL PREPARATION
PROPOSAL PRESENTATION
PROPOSAL SUBMISSION
PARTIAL THESIS SUBMISSION
(CHAPTER 1, 2, 3)
LABORATORY WORK
DATA ANALYSIS & DISCUSSION
FULL THESIS WRITING &
SUBMISSION

13. 8.0 EXPECTED RESULTS
13
Scanning electron microscope (SEM):
Monography of palm kernel shell (PKS)
that has been pyrolyzed.
Attenuated Total Reflection – Fourier Transform
Infrared (ATR-FTIR):
Spectral change with palm kernel shell (PKS)
char formation temperature and holding times.
X-ray Diffraction (XRD):
XRD patterns of PKS and
PKSBC

14. 9.0 CONCLUSION
14
 As a conclusion, palm kernel shell has successfully synthesized glycerol carbonate from the
carboxylation of glycerol.
 Copper oxide supported on palm kernel shell increased the yield of the glycerol carbonate.
 Acetonitrile has been used as dehydrating agents to shift the equilibrium sides towards the
product side.
 This study gives the view of carboxylation of glycerol and suggests the possibility of using palm
kernel shell char and metal supported on char as the heterogeneous catalyst.

15. 10.0 SELECTED REFERENCES
15
 Mathurasa, L. and S. Damrongsiri (2018). "Low cost and easy rice husk modification to efficiently enhance ammonium and nitrate
adsorption." International Journal of Recycling of Organic Waste in Agriculture 7(2): 143-151.
 Monteiro, M. R., et al. (2018). "Glycerol from biodiesel production: Technological paths for sustainability." Renewable and Sustainable
Energy Reviews 88: 109-122.
 Razali, N. A., et al. (2019). "The role of impurities in the La2O3 catalysed carboxylation of crude glycerol." Catalysis Letters 149(5):
1403-1414.
 Sukiran, M. A., et al. (2011). "Production and characterization of bio-char from the pyrolysis of empty fruit bunches." American Journal
of Applied Sciences 8(10): 984.
 Wang, S., et al. (2019). "Disposable baby diapers waste derived catalyst for synthesizing glycerol carbonate by the transesterification
of glycerol with dimethyl carbonate." Journal of Cleaner Production 211: 330-341.
 Yadav, G. D. and P. A. Chandan (2014). "A green process for glycerol valorization to glycerol carbonate over heterogeneous
hydrotalcite catalyst." Catalysis Today 237: 47-53.
 Zhu, Y., et al. (2019). "Applications of lignin-derived catalysts for green synthesis." Green Energy & Environment 4(3): 210-244.

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