Synthesis of Polysorbate 20 catalysed by Carbon/silica Precursor from rice husk for production of 2-Chloroethyl Benzoate

In agriculture industry, rice husk is popularly known as highly abundant agricultural waste due to exponentially-rising population. Polysorbate 20 is one of the polymer waste, functioning as a stabilizer in food industry. Rice husk was treated by converting into carbon/silica (C/Si02) via carbonisation at different temperature; 300 °C, 350 °C, 400 °C and 450 °C. In this study, the different carbonisation temperature were applied to determine the relationship between carbonisation temperature and the physicochemical properties. Sulfonated carbon/silica catalyst (SO3H-C/Si02-300°C, SO3H-C/Si02-350°C, SO3H-C/Si02-400°C and SO3H-C/Si02-450°C) were fabricated by using sulphuric acid treatment. These heterogeneous acid catalysts were used in catalytic reaction between polysorbate 20 and benzoyl chloride to produce 2- chloroethyl benzoate. The physicochemical properties of the catalysts were analysed by XRD, TGA and FTIR. The XRD pattern confirmed the catalysts were amorphous. TGA showed that the ratio of C/Si02 were decreased as the carbonisation temperature increased. FTIR revealed the absorbance of functional groups such as COOH, S=0 and C=C were decreased when the temperature decreased. The catalytic reaction showed that SO3H-C/Si02-300°C catalyst was the best catalyst by achieving 96% conversion and 9% yield of 2-chloroethyl benzoate.