Soybean energy storage material

Can defatted soybean be used as a carbon precursor in supercapacitors?

In this study, we have focused our attention on the viability of using an abundant residue, defatted soybean (better known as Soybean meal or Soybean oil cake ), as carbon precursor for electrode materials in supercapacitors. This material can be considered as a solid residue, which is generated after the extraction of oil from the soybean.

Is defatted soybean a good precursor for n-doped porous carbons?

Interestingly, this abundant and low-cost material has a large amount of proteins (around 50%) and, in consequence, it contains an abundance of nitrogen (around 8–10 wt%) 22. Owing to its high nitrogen content, defatted soybean constitutes a promising precursor for producing N-doped porous carbons.

Is soybean oil a solid residue?

This material can be considered as a solid residue, which is generated after the extraction of oil from the soybean. It is widely used as a filler and source of protein in animal diets 20, 21.

Is soybean a good source of oil?

Soybean is widely used for oil production, mainly but not entirely, for human consumption. Even though soybean origins are in Southeast Asia, nowadays it is produced worldwide, ensuring easy access. In the last decade, the oil production from soybean has steadily grown, from ~30 million tons in 2004 to more than 45 million tons in 2014 29, 30, 31.

How much oil is produced from soybeans?

In the last decade, the oil production from soybean has steadily grown, from ~30 million tons in 2004 to more than 45 million tons in 2014 29, 30, 31. This production process leaves behind high amounts of a solid residue, i.e. defatted soybean, better known as soybean meal (see Fig. 1 ).

How do ECS store energy?

ECs store energy by charging electrical double layers via reversible ion adsorption on the surface of high-surface area electrodes. The electrodes which are the main components in an EC generally consist of porous activated carbon.