Utilization of jatropha oil as feedstock for synthesis of methyl ester sulfonate surfactant

• Main Authors: Slamet, Slamet, Reza, Yusran Fachry, Permadani, Resi Levi
• Format: Conference Proceeding
• Language: English
• Subjects: Catalysis; Catalysts; Esterification; Fatty acids; Food processing industry; Methanol; Nanoparticles; Sodium hydroxide; Sulfonates; Surface tension; Surfactants; Titanium dioxide; Transesterification
• ISSN: 0094-243X; 1551-7616
• DOI: 10.1063/1.5064319

Anionic surfactant methyl ester sulfonate (MES) was synthesized from jatropha oil through three consecutive stages of esterification, transesterification, and sulfonation. The use of non-edible oil with a high free fatty acid content of 5.40% needs to be treated by lowering its acid value so that it does not hinder alkali-catalyzed transesterification. Esterification was performed using TiO2 nanoparticles with the aid of UV-A light with loading variation of 0%, 1%, 5%, 7.5%, 10% and reactant ratio of 1:12; 1:24; 1:48. Transesterification was performed by using 1% NaOH catalyst with jatropha oil and methanol 1:12. Sulfonation is carried out at 100°C for 4.5 hours by reacting sodium bisulfite and methyl ester with the variation of 1:1; 1:2; 1:3. The free fatty acid content of jatropha oil can decrease up to 2.40% (55.43% conversion) with the optimum loading of 7.5% titania catalyst and the ratio of jatropha oil and methanol of 1:48. Methyl ester composition for sulfonation reaction is identified using GC-MS. The methyl ester sulfonates produced from the sulfonation process were characterized by FTIR spectrometry and have surface tension value of 33.93-33.12 dyne/cm with active matter content up to 13.21%.