Researchers from the DOE's Brookhaven National Laboratory developed a new catalyst (made from Graphene, molybdenum and soybeans) and that could replace platinum in hyroden-production processes. This new catalyst is the best non-noble-metal one ever developed, and it's even better than a catalyst made from bulk platinum. It can be used to split water into hydrogen and oxygen. The hydrogen can then be used regenerated into H2 and then be used as fuel.
To make the new catalyst, the researchers ground soybeans into a powder and then mixed it it with ammonium molybdate. Using a high-temperature carburization made the molybdenum react with the carbon and nitrogen in the soybean and that produced molybdenum carbides and molybdenum nitrides. The material was then anchored on sheets of graphene - and this makes the catalyst effecting in devices such as batteries, supercapacitors, fuel cells, and water electrolyzers.
