Epoxidation of Waste Cooking Palm Oil with Peracetic Acid Catalyzed by Sulfuric Acid

The interest in the epoxidation of vegetable oils has increased significantly in recent years due to their sustainability, renewability, and biodegradability. In this study, waste cooking palm oil (WCPO) was epoxidized, which then can be introduced as a potential bio-based monomer. The epoxidation reaction was carried out by in situ generated peroxyacetic acid in the presence of a sulfuric acid catalyst in a tri-neck flask fitted with a condenser. Heating and stirring were provided by a heater-stirrer. In this study, the effect of the process operating parameters such as temperature (40– 60°C), catalyst loading (1.0-2.5%) and the molar ratio of hydrogen peroxide and acetic acid to the double bond (0.5-2.0) and (0.1-0.7) respectively, were investigated and the optimum conditions were established. A maximum relative conversion to oxirane of 56.8% and iodine conversion of 53.7% could be achieved at the optimum reaction conditions namely, temperature 60 °C within a reaction time of 4 hrs, catalyst loading 2.0%, hydrogen peroxide to unsaturation (1.5), acetic acid to unsaturation (0.5), and stirring speed of 900 rpm. The findings of this study provide keys to those interested in the epoxidation of WCPO for making valuable bio-based materials such as plasticizers, adhesives, and lubricants.