<![CDATA[The use of rice husk waste as a raw material for calcium oxide (CaO) catalyst production is an innovative solution to support environmentally friendly and sustainable biodiesel production. This study aims to characterize CaO synthesized from rice husk and evaluate its effectiveness as a catalyst in the transesterification process of used cooking oil into biodiesel. Rice husk was calcined at 900°C for 6 hours, then analyzed using FTIR spectroscopy to identify the functional groups formed. The transesterification process was carried out with variations in the mesh size of rice husk (60/80 to 140/160) and catalyst weight (5–25 grams), to determine their effect on methyl ester yield and biodiesel quality. The characterization results showed an absorption peak at a wave number of 499.56 cm⁻¹ which indicates the presence of Ca–O groups, indicating the formation of CaO compounds. The highest yield was 82.11% at 80/100 mesh with a catalyst weight of 15 grams. The resulting biodiesel had physical and chemical properties that met SNI 7182:2015 standards, with a viscosity ranging from 4.28–4.72 mPa·s, a density of 0.859–0.875 g/cm³, and a flash point of 105–116°C. The results of this study demonstrate that the CaO catalyst from rice husk is effective for biodiesel synthesis, while also providing added value to agricultural waste. Keywords: Biodiesel, Rice Husk, CaO Catalyst, Waste Cooking Oil, Transesterification]]>
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