DOI: https://doi.org/10.61435/ijred.2026.62522
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Multifunctional Bangka kaolin for zeolite 3A pellet synthesis and its application in ethanol dehydration

1Department of Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Industrial Technology, Universitas Bung Hatta, Padang, 25146, Indonesia

2Department of Mechanical Engineering, Faculty of Industrial Technology, Universitas Bung Hatta, Padang, 25146, Indonesia

3Department of Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Industrial Technology, Institut Teknologi Bandung, Bandung, 40132, Indonesia

Received: 12 Mar 2026; Revised: 17 May 2026; Accepted: 28 May 2026; Available online: 10 Jun 2026; Published: 1 Jul 2026.
Editor(s): H Hadiyanto
Open Access Copyright (c) 2026 The Author(s). Published by Centre of Biomass and Renewable Energy (CBIORE)
Creative Commons License This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

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Abstract

The development of cost-effective, highly efficient adsorbents for bioethanol dehydration is crucial to advancing sustainable biofuel integration, including the upcoming E10 fuel-blending mandates in Indonesia. This study evaluates the multifunctional capability of locally sourced Bangka kaolin as both a structural precursor and an active binder for the synthesis of binder-converted Zeolite 3A pellets, specifically tailored for ethanol-water azeotrope separation. The fabrication procedure followed a comprehensive two-stage method, commencing with the thermal calcination of raw kaolin at 600°C and 750°C to generate reactive metakaolin. Subsequently, a hydrothermal synthesis strategy was employed using different alkalinity settings, governed by H2O/Na2O molar ratios of 40, 43, and 45, corresponding to NaOH concentrations of 2.88 M, 2.67 M, and 2.55 M, respectively. This solution-gel matrix was homogenized with synthesized Zeolite Na-A powder, extruded into pellets, and subjected to an in-situ hydrothermal crystallization phase to transform the amorphous binder into a crystalline Zeolite A framework. Final structural modification was performed via successive liquid-phase potassium-ion exchanges using 21 wt.% and 11 wt.% chloride potassium solutions to shrink the effective pore opening to approximately 3A. Structural and compositional assessments via X-ray diffraction (XRD) and X-ray fluorescence (XRF) confirmed the successful formation of Zeolite A frameworks with no residual sodium oxide (0.00% Na2O), achieving significant potassium loading (30.15–34.58 wt.% K2O) and moderate relative crystallinities ranging from 55% to 74%. Textural diagnostics from N2 physisorption demonstrated that the synthesized pellets exhibit an IUPAC Type IV isotherm coupled with a Type H3 hysteresis loop, indicating a hierarchically organized pore structure with crucial secondary mesopores. Performance evaluation during dynamic ethanol-water separation confirmed that the synthesized Zeolite 3A pellets exhibit an enhanced water adsorption capacity of up to 27.97 wt.% for the ZKA-750-45 sample, yielding fuel-grade bioethanol with a peak purity of 99.7 wt.%.

Keywords: Bangka kaolin; calcination; metakaolin; pelletization; zeolite 3Å

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Section: Original Research Article
Language : EN
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