Development of Chitosan/Rice Husk-Based Silica Composite Membranes for Biodiesel Purification

Abstract

Inorganic–organic composite membranes (IOCMs) are an alternative separation method developed for their straightforward process, economic benefits, and ease of scaling up. The IOCMs in this study were prepared from a biopolymer chitosan matrix and rice husk-based silica filler to remove impurities from crude biodiesel. The IOCMs were prepared through phase inversions, in which the priorly prepared silica particles were dispersed in the dope solution of chitosan. The maximum loading of the silica particles was 60%, capable of reducing the soap level, free glycerol level, and acid number from 547.9 to 12.2 mg/L, 54 to 0.041%, and 2.02 to 1.12 mgKOH/g. These reduced impurity values have satisfied the standardized quality. The chemical composition and morphology of the IOCM was characterized using Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy and scanning electron microscope–energy dispersive X-Ray spectroscopy. The IOCM water absorption-based porosity and swelling degree were studied as well. Further investigation using isothermal modeling revealed the adsorption dependency against the Sips model equation (R2 = 0.99 and root-mean-square errors = 1.77 × 10−8). Even though regeneration is still a challenging factor in this study, the IOCM prepared from chitosan and rice husk-derived silica particles could be used in crude biodiesel purification.

Accelerated full-thickness skin wound tissue regeneration by self-crosslinked chitosan hydrogel films reinforced by oxidized CNC-AgNPs stabilized Pickering emulsion for quercetin delivery

“…The porosity of the films was assessed using the water displacement method as described in a previous study [32]. The films were cut into little pieces of 1 × 1 cm, and their respective weights were recorded.…”

Rice Husk Silica Research in Indonesia: A Blibiometric Analysis Based on Scopus

“…In addition to chemical analysis, the documents in this cluster also discuss about the analysis of the structure of synthesized silica using various instruments such as FTIR, XRD, SEM, and EDS. Porosity studies related to the application of silica as a membrane are also evaluated in this cluster [20][21][22][23]. Cluster 2.…”

“…The third cluster (blue) involved a study that discussed the synthesis of composite between silica and other materials as heterogenous catalysts. The composite is used to synthesize and purification of biodiesel, whose working efficiency of the composite catalyst is strongly influenced by several factors such as porosity, surface area, and calcination temperature [20,28]. Cluster 4.…”

Synthesis of Chitosan Silica Membrane from Petung Bamboo (<i>Dendrocalamus asper</i>) Leaves and Its Application as Pb(II) Metallic Adsorbent

“…In several reports, chitosan has shown its ability to remove heavy metals [25,27], biodiesel impurities [28], dyes [29] and pesticides [30]. Moreover, chitosan can be easily dissolved in acetic acid, thus enabling a simple and environmentally friendly process of membrane matrix preparation [31].…”