In this study, molybdenum nitride-bentonite was successfully employed for the reaction of hydrocracking of palm oil to produce a bio-gasoline and bio-aviation fuel.

Emissions from gasoline are one of the contributors to air pollution. Diisopropyl ether (DIPE) is an alternative oxygenate additive that can improve gasoline quality, minimizing CO and hydrocarbon gas emissions during combustion. However, there are very few studies on the use of pillared bentonite-based catalysts for DIPE production. This study aims to produce DIPE via dehydration of isopropyl alcohol using a molybdenum phosphide pillared bentonite (MoP-Bentonite) catalyst. The effect of Mo6+ metal concentration on the catalytic activity of isopropyl alcohol dehydration was also investigated. The catalyst that gives the highest DIPE yield will be analyzed by X-ray Diffraction (XRD), Scanning Electron Microscope-Energy Dispersive X-Ray (SEM-EDX), Gas Sorption Analyzer (GSA), and total acidity using the gravimetric method. In addition, the dehydration product will be analyzed by Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectroscopy (GC-MS). The results showed that MoP has been successfully pillared into bentonite and showed an increase in surface area, acidity, and catalytic activity. The highest yield of DIPE was obtained using a 4 mEq/g MoP-Bentonite catalyst with a DIPE yield of 64.5%.

The compound from endophytic fungi of Aspergillus sp. from leaves of kunyit putih (Curcuma zedoaria (Berg.) Roscoe) has been isolated. Isolation begins with cultivation ofAspergillus sp. in 18 L PDB’s media (Potato Dextrose Broth) for 28 days. The liquid cultivation medium was extracted by partitioning method using ethylacetate and then evaporated. The extract was separated and purified by chromatography techniques. Elucidation stucture of the isolated compound was analysis by spectroscopic method NMR 1D and 2D. Antibacterial activity of isolated compound was tested using the disc diffusion method at concentrations 2500, 1000, 500, and 125 ppm. The isolated compounds obtained in the form of a yellow oil (24.30 mg). The 13C NMR spectrum indicated 24 signals of carbon and base on analysis spectrum DEPT 135 showed 5 signal methynes carbon, 1 signals methylene, 9 signals of methyl and 9 signals quarternary carbon. These signals from 1H and 13C-NMR suggested that this compound contained aromatic group and four carbonyl. The isolated compound show antibacterial activity at concentration 2500 ppm which inhibition zone for E. coli, S. dysenteriae, S. aureus, B. subtilis were 10.3 ; 8.3; 8.4; and 7.8 mm, respectively. Based on the analysis result of NMR 1D and 2D, the compound was methyl 6-(5'-(2"-acetoxy-2”-methylpropanoyl)-3"- methyl-2'-(3"'-methylbutanoyl)phenyl)-3-methylbutanoate and has weak antibacterial activity.

In this study, MnFe2O4-activated carbon composite was synthesized by co-precipitation method and applied to adsorb methyl red dye. MnFe2O4-activated carbon composite was made with the mass ratio of activated carbon and MnFe2O4 of 1:2. The composite characterization by using X-Ray Diffraction, Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy, Scanning Electron Micrograph, and Energy-Dispersive X-Ray Spectroscopy, the surface area using the Brunauer, Emmett and Teller and magnetic properties by using Vibrating Sample Magnetometer. The adsorption parameters include contact time, and adsorbent weight. The spectra of FTIR MnFe2O4-activated carbon composite analysis show the presence of Fe-O and Mn-O which is not present in the spectra of activated carbon. SEM analysis shows that the composite has pores and MnFe2O4 oxides are spread on its surface. The composition of the composite consists of C, O, Fe, and Mn. The composite has a surface area of 143.992 smaller than that of the activated carbon of 217.697 m2/g. However, the composite has magnetic properties with the saturatization magnetization of 17.91 emu/g. The optimum condition of the composite for adsorption of methyl red was obtained at a weight of 0.15 g, and contact time of 100 minutes. The adsorption of the composite was in accordance by pseudo-second-order kinetic and Langmuir isotherms with adsorption capacity of 81.97 mg/g.

Coconut oil mill waste (CMW) contained high free fatty acid (FFA) content which potentially could be converted into a value-added product such as fatty acid methyl ester (FAME). In this study, a montmorillonite-sulfonated carbon catalyst was used to evaluate the kinetic parameter of FFA conversion from CMW into FAME. The characterization of FTIR and SEM-EDX confirmed that the -SO3H groups were successfully incorporated into montmorillonite- carbon catalyst. The highest catalyst acidity (9.4 mmol/g) was achieved by a ratio of montmorillonite to sulfonated carbon of 1:3 % w/w. The kinetic study using montmorillonite-sulfonated carbon 1:3 % w/w showed that the reaction temperature and molar ratio of methanol to FFA (% v/v) were positively correlated to the reaction rate. The highest rate constant of esterification towards the product (k1), reactant (k2), and equilibrium were 0.1187, 0.0595, and 1.995, achieved by a temperature of 80 ˚C, respectively. The Arrhenius constant and activation energy towards the product were 3.3085×106 and 50.3 J/mole, respectively. The reaction temperature was positively correlated to the equilibrium constant, which indicated that the reaction was endothermic. The kinetic model validation revealed that the predicted value from the model was adequately in accordance with the experimental value, as indicated by a high coefficient of determination.