Hydroxylation of hybrid epoxidized palm oleic acid for polyol production using amberlite resin IR-120 as catalyst

Abstract

The substitution of petroleum with virgin oils (VOs) has raised global food security concerns due to the competition for agricultural resources. Therefore, this study explores the conversion of a hybrid raw material (waste cooking oil and palm oil) into polyol via epoxidation and hydroxylation reactions. Alcohol was added to the epoxidized oil to produce polyol. This study aimed to investigate how different oxygen carriers and alcohols affect the oxirane conversion and polyol production from epoxidized hybrid oils. Formic acid yielded a 51% relative conversion to oxirane (RCO) within 40 min, outperforming acetic acid. Isopropanol was the most effective alcohol for ring opening, resulting in the lowest final oxirane value (10%), indicating high epoxide-to-polyol conversion. FTIR analysis confirmed hydroxyl group presence at 3400 cm⁻¹. The kinetic parameters obtained for epoxidation were k₁₁ = 0.0181, k₁₂ = 0.297, and k₂ = 0.0106. The simulation model demonstrated acceptable accuracy, with a minimal error of approximately 0.20 compared to experimental data. This study demonstrates a sustainable route for producing polyols from mixed oil feedstocks, with potential applications in bio-based materials.