Abstract: Palm oil is a potential alternative energy source, since it has long hydrocarbon chains which is quite
similar to the hydrocarbon chains in fossil oil. Thus, palm oil can be processed to produce biofuel which may
replace the non-renewable fossil fuels, such as gasoline, kerosene and diesel oil. During utilization, biofuel
produces fewer pollutants than fossil fuel. Therefore, biofuel is safer and environmentally friendly. The research
was conducted through a catalyst synthesis and the catalytic cracking process. HZSM-5 was synthesized using
an Absorption Atomic Spectroscopy (AAS) which produced a synthesized HZSM-5 Si/Al 198. Brunauer Emmet
Teller (BET) analysis showed that surface area of synthesized catalysts was 21.3524 m2.g 1 and the average
pore size of the catalysts was 13 °A. This process confirmed that the synthesized catalysts meet the requirement
as a catalyst used in the catalytic cracking process. The catalytic cracking was carried out in a fixed bed micro
reactor at temperatures between 350 – 500 °C and N2 flow rates between 100 –160 ml.min for 120 min. It was
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found that at 450°C and N2 flow rate of 100ml.min resulted in the highest yield of gasoline fraction of 28.87%,
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16.70% kerosene and 1.20%. diesel oil. The synthesized HZSM-5 catalysts meet the standard of a catalyst used
in the catalytic cracking of vegetable oil to produce biofuel.
Key words: Catalytic Cracking Metal Impregnation Palm Oil Zeolite HZSM-5