Ferric Nitrate Influence on Palm Oil Mesocarp Fibre Waste Graphite

Most graphites used recently in industrial processes are synthetic. The issue is that non-renewable carbon precursors are frequently used in the conventional graphitization process, which uses a lot of energy. The purpose of this research is to synthesis graphite from mesocarp fiber waste derived from palm oil. When carbonized, lignocellulosic biomass carbon precursors like oil palm mesocarp fiber waste typically produce ungraphitizable carbon. The novelty of this research is investigation into the catalytic graphitization of carbon using ferric nitrate catalyst from precursors based on cellulose or mesocarp fiber waste biomass that contains lignocellulosic material. The research was conducted based on several stages, namely preparation of materials and tools, carbonization process, catalyst preparation, insertion of catalyst on carbon, graphitization process, and characterization. The degree of graphitization displays the proportion of the material organized graphitic. The kind of catalyst used in the process is one of the elements that influences the degree of graphitization. Graphite was synthesized from oil palm mesocarp fibers at temperatures less than 900 o C. Graphitized samples were analyzed using SEM (Scanning Electron Microscopy), FTIR (Fourier Transform Infra-Red Spectroscopy), and XRD (X-Ray Diffraction) to determine and analyze the crystal structure of the sample material after being washed with acid. These tests allowed for the identification and analysis of contents contained in the biomass of raw palm oil mesocarp fiber and in carbonized samples. The use of ferric nitrate revealed good catalytic performance based on SEM and …