Synthesis Cocamide DEA as Green Surfactant from Virgin Coconut Oil

Petroleum-based surfactants are not biodegradable. In this study, a surfactant made from natural ingredients, namely cocamide DEA. Di-ethanolamine (DEA) is one of the surfactants from non-ionic natural ingredients which has the advantage of being nontoxic, biodegradable, and environmentally friendly. Cocamide DEA is used for the synthesis of a wide variety of heterocyclic compounds and has a wide application in the pharmaceutical, surfactant, polisher and cosmetic industries. Cocamide DEA is obtained from Virgin Coconut Oil (VCO) which contains fatty acids. Manufacture of Cocamide DEA surfactants by the Transesterification-amidase process. Transesterification is the process of chemical transformation of fatty acids reacted with methanol and a catalyst that produces methyl esters. Amidation is the reaction of the formation of amide compounds between di-ethanolamin e and methyl esters (ME). Preparation of surfactant Cocamide DEA from VCO by esterification-amidase process with a ratio of ME:DEA (1:1, 1:1,25, 1:1,5, 1:1,75 1:2) w/w, variations NaOH catalyst (0.25%, 0.5%, 0.75%, 1%, 2% and 3%) and operating temperatures (150°C, 160°C, 170°C, 180°C). The study was conducted on the optimization of Transesterification-Amidation proses, and to analyze the cocamide DEA functional groups with FTIR. The optimization of Transesterification-Amidation proses about ME:DEA ratio, catalyt concentration, and temperature of conversion. The result show that the transesterification-amidase process of cocamide DEA obtained optimum conditions at the ratio ME:DEA = 1:2 w/w, 3% NaOH catalyst concentration on 180°C.