Sustainable epoxidation of red palm oil via in-situ peracid mechanism catalyzed by natural zeolite

Abstract

This study presents a sustainable approach for the epoxidation of red palm oil (RPO) using a natural zeolite catalyst via an in situ peracid mechanism. The process addresses the limitations of conventional homogeneous acid systems by reducing corrosive waste and improving catalyst recoverability while valorizing an underutilized palm fraction. The effects of temperature and hydrogen peroxide concentration on oxirane formation were evaluated through oxirane oxygen content (OOC) and relative conversion to oxirane (RCO). The optimum temperature of 65°C produced the highest RCO (≈25–30%) at the early reaction stage, while excessive oxidant and prolonged reaction time promoted oxirane ring opening. FTIR analysis confirmed the formation of epoxy groups, and kinetic modeling showed excellent agreement with experimental data (R² = 0.9778; Error = 0.0469). The synthesized epoxidized RPO demonstrates strong potential for application in bio-based polymer systems, including polyols for polyurethane production, plasticizers, coatings, and environmentally friendly resins, highlighting its relevance for sustainable industrial applications.