DOI: https://doi.org/10.55373/mjchem.v28i4.246

Keywords: Biochar, methanation, methane production, catalyst, empty fruit bunch

Abstract

The increasing demand for sustainable and cost-effective catalysts has driven research into alternative materials for CO₂ methanation. Conventional catalysts, such as nickel-alumina, are often expensive, have limited availability, and cause environmental hazards during production. This study aims to investigate the stability and durability of an oil palm empty fruit bunch (EFB)-derived biochar-based catalyst and compare its performance with nickel-alumina in CO₂ methanation. The methodology involved conducting Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) surface area analysis on both catalysts, performing methanation reactions and analyzing the resulting gas composition. The expected outcome suggests that EFB-derived biochar demonstrates superior stability and conversion efficiency compared to nickel-alumina. This research highlights biochar’s potential as a sustainable and economical catalyst alternative for CO₂ methanation, contributing to greener energy solutions.