ISSN: 2067-533X INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF CONSERVATION SCIENCE Volume 14, Issue 2, April-June 2023: 705-712 www.ijcs.ro DOI: 10.36868/IJCS.2023.02.22 BIO-CHAR AND BIO-OIL PRODUCTION FROM PYROLYSIS OF PALM KERNEL SHELL AND POLYETHYLENE Nur Rahimah IBRAHIM 1 , Razi AHMAD 1,2 * , Wan Amiza Amneera WAN AHMAD 1,2 , Vijean VIKNESWARAN 3 , Ragunathan SANTIAGOO 1,4 , Syakirah Afiza MOHAMMED 1,2 , Amrie Fadzrul KHALID 1 , Asnida Yanti ANI 5 1 Faculty of Civil Engineering & Technology, Universiti Malaysia Perlis, 02600 Arau, Perlis, Malaysia 2 Water Research and Environmental Sustainability Growth (WAREG), Center of Excellence (COE), Universiti Malaysia Perlis (UniMAP), Perlis, Malaysia 3 Faculty of Electronic Engineering Technology, Universiti Malaysia Perlis, Pauh Putra Campus, Perlis, Malaysia 4 Sustainable Environment Research Group (SERG), Center of Excellence Geopolymer and Green Technology, Universiti Malaysia Perlis, Perlis, Malaysia 5 Faculty of Applied Science, University Teknologi MARA, Perlis Branch, Arau Campus, Arau, Perlis, Malaysia Abstract In recent years, palm kernel shell (PKS) has become a viable feedstock for making biofuels and value-added commodities using a variety of thermal conversion routes. Therefore, significant conservation is required for PKS as a resource for fuel production in biofuel facilities. Thus, this research was intended to elucidate the effects on PKS as a solid fuel through torrefaction and the production of bio-char and bio-oil by single and co-pyrolysis of PKS and polyethylene (PE). The PKS was treated through torrefaction at different temperatures and holding times. The optimum parameters for torrefaction were a temperature of 250 o C and a holding time of 60 min. Then the PKS and PE were pyrolyzed in a fixed-bed reactor at different temperatures and ratios. The product yield was analysed for single and co-pyrolysis of PKS and PE for pyrolysis. The properties of the product composition for single and co-pyrolysis of the PKS and PE were determined by proximate analysis, Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) analysis, and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). The optimum parameter obtained for bio- char and bio-oil production from co-pyrolysis of PKS and PE was at temperature of 500 o C at a ratio of 1:2 (PKS: PE). The ester and phenol compounds were increased around 19.02 to 23.18% and 32.51 to 34.80 %, respectively, while amide and amine decreased around 4.94 to 18.87% and 0.63 to 32.39 %, respectively, compared to the single pyrolysis of PKS. Therefore, the PKS and PE co-pyrolysis significantly increased the amount of phenol and ester compounds while slightly reducing the amount of amide and amine compounds in the bio-oil product. As a conclusion, biomass conservation enables the manufacturing of value-added chemicals. Keywords: Torrefaction; Biomass; Thermal Conversion; Pyrolysis; Bio-char; Bio-oil Introduction Nowadays, plastic materials are used for domestic purposes. Hence, plastics' lightness, dexterity, versatility, and low manufacturing cost have made them a highly desirable material for utility in various sectors. Polyethylene (PE) is one of the plastics that contributes approximately 33% of global plastic waste exports, and 30% is from demand from European plastic conversion in 2017. Nine developing countries with fast-growing market economies are major importers and exporters of the global PE waste trade [1]. Five of the nine major importers and exporters of PE * Corresponding author: razi@unimap.edu.my