REACTION KINETICS OF OXALIC ACID PRODUCTION FROM PALM FIBER WITH H2O2.

ARTICLES BALI INTERNATIONAL SEMINAR ON SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY 2011
“ Strengthening Basic Sciences and Technology for Industrial Sustainability““

ISBN 978 – 979-98623-1-0

July 22-23 , 2011, BALI-INDONESIA

REACTION KINETICS OF OXALIC ACID PRODUCTION
FROM PALM FIBER WITH H2O2
Retno Dewati, Erwan Adi Saputro, Nurul Novita
Chemical Engineering Department UPN”Veteran” Jawa Timur
Jl. Raya Rungkut Madya – Gunung Anyar – Surabaya
Email: dewati.r@gmail.com

ABSTRACT
The Purpose of this research to study reaction kinetics of oxalic acid production from palm
fiber. Using peroxide oxidator at a pressure one atmosphere in a batch. The study was conducted
two phases, the first is the hydrolysis of palm fiber into glucose. At this stage of palm fiber that has
been dried in an oven (at 80ºC for 10 minutes), plus a 10% NaOH and then for 60 minutes (with
stirring 1000 rpm) so we get a solution. In the second stage, a solution of glucose from the
hydrolysis incorporated into a three neck flask and added 25 cc of peroxide solution with the

temperature and time as variables. During the process of oxidation of oxalic acid will be formed
which is then analyzed in levels. Variable used is the oxidation time ( 20, 30, 40, 50 and 60
minutes) and temperature of oxidation ( 40, 50, 60, 70 and 80 ºC). The resuls of this study
obtained the largest conversion of oxalic acid is 12.520 % at temperatures 80ºC and 60 minutes.
Price reaction rate constant (k) obtained by k = 0.0011107 e-4620/RT reaction and the reaction
followed the order of three.
Keywords : reaction kinetics, oxalic acid , palm fiber

Introdution
Palm crop in areas that get a lot of
sunlight, for example in coastal areas. In
East Java, Tuban and Gresik in particular is
an area near the beach which many plants
grow palm. To date palm plant utilization is
limited to fruit and trunk. Water trunk is
tapped into a drink called legen. Many
sellers legen roadside, and even many that
have been processed into a beverage bottle
to be marketed both domestically and to be
sent abroad, while the fruit can be eaten or

preserved in cans. Peeling the fruit must be
done carefully so that husk is not broken,
because if it would be easy pecan frit not
and it becomes acidic. Necessary for the
canning of fruit really well and in large
numbers, so many palm fiber that would be
a waste of disturbing the environment. Yet
until now has not been processed palm fiber
into results that can be sold.given the many
canned palm fruit to be sent abroad, it is
necessary to think about ways to add values
as one of the coir palm plantation results
exploited waste into other substances that

higher economic value. One way, is to
cultivate palm fiber, into oxalic acid.
Factors affecting rate reaction
These are several factors which affect,
among other :
a. Time

The longer reaction time, then the reaction
will be more nearly perfect because the
contact time between the substances will be
longer. But it should be noted that the
reaction time the excess can cause reactions
that lead to unwanted reactions, so it is
necessary to find optimum reaction time. In
this experiment the treaction time when the
excess is likely to happen further reaction
of oxalic acid into CO, CO2 and H2O.
b. Temperature
The relationship between temperature and
rate reaction is expressed by the Arrhenius
equation as follows :

k = ko . e-E/RT ................................(1)

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ARTICLES BALI INTERNATIONAL SEMINAR ON SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY 2011

“ Strengthening Basic Sciences and Technology for Industrial Sustainability““

ISBN 978 – 979-98623-1-0

July 22-23 , 2011, BALI-INDONESIA

where :
k = reaction rate constant
ko = frequency factor
E = activation energy
R = gas constant = 8,314 Joule/mol.°K
= 1,987 kal/mol.°K
For each increase in temperature will give
rise in the price k. The larger the k, then the
reaction rate will be greater, But it should
be noted in this study that when the
temperature is too high it will cause
undesirable changes in oxalic acid.
c. Composition and Concentration
The composition of a material greatly affect

the speed of reaction, addition of inert
substances also affect the rate reaction
(Smith, 1969). A reaction can usally be
turned into products quickly when reacted
with a high concentration, but it does not
apply to all reactions, so it is necessary to
find a good comparation that will get a very
high conversion products.
d. Stirring
Stirring would help accelerate the reaction
due to the agitation will increase the
frequency of collisions and the reaction rate
constant prices will be greater.This was
expressed by Arrhenius equation :

k = ko . e-E/RT ,
with : ko = frequency factor
Reaction mechanism
a. Hydrolysis reaction mechanism palm
fiber into glucose.

Hydrolysis is a process of interaction
between the most saline water. When a
solution of salt dissolved in water then the
solutionis not always react to neutral as a
result of H+ or OH- are left in solution will
be acidic or alkaline. There are several
types of hydrolysis, the hydrolysis of pure,
hydrolysis in alkaline solution and
hydrolysis enzyme as a catalyst. It uses
pure experiment hydrolysis, ie the
compound to be hydrolyszed (from coco
palm cellulose solution) is reacted with
H2O. The mechanism of the reaction is
written as follows :
C6H10O5 + H2O
Cellulose



C6H12O6

glucose

b. Mechanism of oxidation reactions with
peroxide.
The result of solution of cellulose
hydrolysis (from palm fiber) into glucose to
be further oxidized to oxalic acid.
The reaction is as follows :
C6H12O6 + 9H2O2  3 C2H2O4 + 12 H2O

glucose

oxalic acid

or briefly written as follows :
A + B  C +D
When the glucose oxidation reaction the
result of palm fibert hydrolysis into oxalic
acid followed first order, the equation used
is as follows :

dC A
= k1 . CA CB .......... (2)
-rA = dt
For the concentration of reagent H2O2
is nuch greater than A, then reagent
H2O2 did not change during the process
( CH2O2 any time constant ), then
k’ = k CB so that equation (2) becomes
:
dC A
= k’ . CA......................... (3)
dt

-

dC A

= k ‘ dt .............................

(4)


A dC
A = k’ . t dt ...............

dt
0
C
A0

(5)

- (ln CA + In CA0) = k’.t ...............

(6)

CA = CA0 (1 - XA ) .............

(7)

- ln (1n - XA ) = k’t ..............


(8)

CA
C

-



Subsequently made a graph of - ln (1n XA ) versus t , if the graph is a straight line
through the center (0,0 then the reaction is
the first reaction with the rate reaction a
slope = k’.

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ARTICLES BALI INTERNATIONAL SEMINAR ON SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY 2011
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ISBN 978 – 979-98623-1-0

July 22-23 , 2011, BALI-INDONESIA

If the reaction of oxalic acid production
following the second order, then the
reaction rate eqation becomes :

-rA =

− dC A

=

− dC B
dt

dt

= k . CACB ..... (9)

The number of A and B are reaction at any
time t is the same that is the same as
equation (9) CAoXA thus becomes :

the oxalic acid using peroxide at a pressure
of one atmosphere in a batch.
Variables consist of research :
1. Variables with fixed conditions : the
cellulose solution of 0,62 M palm fiber as
much as 100 cc, stirring 1000 rpm, volume
peroxide 50% as much as q5 cc, 55 minutes
hydrolysis time, hydrolysis temperature of
80ºC, glcose 88 %.
2. Variables with the condition of the run,:
oxidation temperature (ºC), 40,50,60,70,80
and oxidation time (minutes); 20,30,40,50
,60.

dX A

= k .(CAo- CAo XA).( CBodt
CAo XA.) ............................................... (10)
-rA = CA0

With M = CBo / CAo is a first molar ratio of
reactant, then obtained :

dX A

= k C2 Ao- (1-XA).(M-XA.)
dt
............................................................. (11)
-rA = CA0

C C
M − XA
1− X B
=ln
=ln B Ao
1− X A
M (1 − X A )
C Bo C A

Integrated the above equation becomes :
ln

= CA0 (M-1) k .t
= (CB0 - CA0 ) k .t ................ (12)
If the reaction of oxalic acid production did
not follow first order and second order then
use the n-th order equation, namely as
follows :

− dC A
dt

Log (

= k CA n

− dC A

) = log k + n log CA (13)
dt
Subsequently made agraph of log CA Vs
− dC A
Log (
)
dt
slope = n and intercept = log k

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

Three nack flash
stirrer
Water Batch
Thermometer
Condensor

The study was conducted two phases, the
first is the hydrolysis of palm fiber into
glucose. At this stage of the palm fiber that
has been dried in an oven (at 80ºC for 10
minutes), plus a 10% NaOH and then
heated for 60 minutes (with stirring 1000
rpm) so we get a solution of cellulose is
then hydrolyzed for 55 minutes. The result
of hydrolysis is glucose solution. In the
second stage, a solution of glucose from the
hydrolysis incorporated into a three neck
flask and added 25 cc of peroxide solution
with the temperature and time as variables.
During the process of oxidation of oxalic
acid will be formed which is then analyzed
the levels. The materials used are dried
palm fiber 10 grams , 10% NaOH, CaCl2
10 % NaOH, 4 N H2SO4, KMnO4 0,1 N.)

Research method.
The purpose of this research is to study the
kinetics of oxidation reactions palm fiber,

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July 22-23 , 2011, BALI-INDONESIA

Results and Discussion
Research results
The results of oxalic acid production from
glucose (hydrolysis of palm fiber) and the
influence of all variables (temperatre and
time) are presented in tables .
Table 1 Data research

Temp.
(OC)

20
min.
45,5
48,1
49,0
50,7
54,2

40
50
60
70
80

Volume titration (cc)
30
40
50
min.
min.
min.
52,5
56,9
61,2
53,4
58,6
63,9
56,0
62,1
69,1
56,9
62,1
68,2
59,5
63,0
69,1

60
min.
64,7
65,2
70,9
70,9
73,5

Table 2. Conversion (XA).
Temp.
(OC)
40
50
60
70
80

XA (conversion)
20
min.
0,0775
0,0819
0,0835
0,0864
0,0923

30
min.
0,0894
0,0910
0,0954
0,0970
0,1013

40
min.
0,0970
0,0998
0,1058
0,1058
0,1073

50
min.
0,1042
0,1088
0,1177
0,1162
0,1177

60
min.
0,1102
0,1111
0,1208
0,1208
0,1252

Tabel 3. Concentration (CA).
Temp.
(OC)
40
50
60
70
80

20
min.
0,577
0,574
0,574
0,572
0,568

Concentration (CA)
30
40
50
min.
min.
min.
0,560
0,565
0,570
0,558
0,563
0,569
0,552
0,560
0,566
0,553
0,560
0,565
0,552
0,559
0,562

60
min.
0,557
0,556
0,550
0,550
0,547

Tabel 4. –(dCA/dt) from graph.
Te
mp
.
(OC
)
40
50
60
70
80

-(dCA/dt)
20 min.

30 min.

40 min.

50 min.

60 min.

- 0,0026
- 0,0025
- 0,0026
- 0,0024
- 0,0010

- 0,0008
- 0,0006
- 0,0007
- 0,0006
- 0,0006

- 0,0004
- 0,0005
- 0,0006
- 0,0005
0,0004

- 0,0004
- 0,0005
- 0,0006
- 0,0005
- 0,0005

- 0,0003
- 0,0001
- 0,0002
- 0,0004
- 0,0004

Tem
p.
(OC)
40
50
60
70
80

Tabel 6. Hasil Perhitungan log CA
Log CA
20
min.

30
min.

40
min.

50
min.

60
min.

0,23
83
0,24
04
0,24
11
0,24
25
2453

0,57
03
0,24
47
0,24
68
0,24
75
0,24
97

0,24
75
0,24
89
0,25
18
0,25
18
0,25
25

0,25
11
0,25
33
0,25
76
0,25
69
0,25
76

0,25
39
0,25
44
0,25
91
0,25
91
0,26
13

Effect of conversion (XA) to temperature
oxidation. Effect oxidation temprerature on
the conversion of glucose to a solution of
oxalic acid can be seen in table 3. The
higher the oxidation temperature of the
conversion of glucose to oxalix acid will
increase.
Effect of conversion (XA) against oxidation
time.
Effect of oxidation time can be seen in table
3 . The longer time of oxidation, the
conversion of glucose to the formation of
oxalic acid will also increase.
Conclusion
The conclusion can be drawn from this
study are as follows :
The process of oxidation of glucose
solution of cellulose hydrolysis results from
palm fiber into oxalic acid followed the
order reaction 3.4. The higher the reaction
temperature the greater the conversion of
cellulose into oxalic acid and the greater
price reaction rate constant with
temperature at 80 C limit. The longer
reaction time the greater the conversion of
cellulose into oxalic acid with time limit 60
minutes. Price reaction rate constant (k)
obtained by k =0.0011107 e – 4620/RT.

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“ Strengthening Basic Sciences and Technology for Industrial Sustainability““

ISBN 978 – 979-98623-1-0

July 22-23 , 2011, BALI-INDONESIA

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