PRODUCTION OF ETHYL LEVULINATE VIA ESTERIFICATION REACTION OF LEVULINIC ACID IN THE PRESENCE OF ZrO2 BASED CATALYST

Ethyl levulinate is widely used as a fuel additive, flavor or fragrance and as a component of fuel blending. This study focused on the production of ethyl levulinate from levulinic acid via esterification reaction in the presence of HPW/ZrO2.The catalyst was prepared using the wet impregnation method, characterized by using FTIR, BET and NH3-TPD and screened based on 20%, 40% and 60% HPW/ZrO2. The 40% HPW/ZrO2 catalyst exhibited the highest catalytic performance during the parameter screening stage which included catalyst loading (0.25‒1.25g) and volume ratio of levulinic acid to ethanol (1:4 – 1:8). The highest ethyl levulinate yield of 99% corresponded to a catalyst loading of 0.5 g and volume ratio of levulinic acid to ethanol of 1:5 with reaction conditions at 150 °C for 3 hours. The esterification reaction of levulinic acid revealed that the catalytic performance was influenced by the acid sites and surface area of the catalyst. In addition, volume ratio was also a major factor in enhancing the ethyl levulinate yield.