News Energy
Batteries made from soybean straw
Scientists at the American Polymer Research Center have developed a new type of battery that is less harmful to the environment. That is good news, but the raw material that is used for this is at least as interesting. That's soybean straw.
"We use the stems, leaves and empty pods — things that have no commercial value — to make a carbon product that does have great value," said Professor Ram Gupta, the project's principal investigator, at the Pittsburg State site. university.
Extra sales opportunity for growers
The research was funded in large part with funds from the Missouri Soybean Merchendising Council. "Research has long been a major priority in soybean valorization," said Kyle Durham, a Missouri farmer and president of the Missouri Soybean Merchendising Council. "Soy is an incredibly versatile crop. Developing new applications is a great challenge that can contribute to the yield of cultivation."
Demand for batteries and batteries is growing at a global rate of 10% to 12% annually in an industry that now represents $100 billion. "Just consider how many batteries we use in our daily lives in phones and laptops to cars," said Gupta. The new invention is mainly aimed at replacing the more expensive carbon-based batteries made from fossil raw materials. The patent has been applied for and if granted, the technique will be licensed to commercial customers.
Jurphaas Lugtenburg
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