2025
Design of High-Performance Materials by Using Soybean Meal as a Functional Feedstock
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Contributor/Checkoff:
North Dakota Soybean Council
Category:
Sustainable Production
Keywords:
(none assigned)
Parent Project:
This is the first year of this project.
Lead Principal Investigator:
Gupta Suroiit, University of North Dakota
Co-Principal Investigators:
Project Code:
NDSC_2025_New Uses 8
Contributing Organization (Checkoff):
North Dakota Soybean Council
$44,350
Institution Funded:
University of North Dakota
$44,350
Brief Project Summary:
North Dakota has emerged as a hub for soybean crushing plants. Recently, a new Green Bison Soybean Processing plant in Spiritwood was set up with a production capacity of 600 million pounds of refined soybean oil per year and capacity to generate 1.28 million tons of soybean meal (SBM). Epitome energy is also building a State-of-the-Art Soybean Crushing Plant in Grand Forks (location of UND) which will produce Crude degummed soy oil: 60 million gallons/year; Soybean meal: 940,000 tons/year, and Soybean hulls: 84,000 tons/year. There is an urgent and critical need to valorize and large-scale utilization of SBM which will further increase the profitability of Soybean Grower by diversifying their income. Currently,
Soybean meal is used as an animal feed. The usage of high amount of SBM will create unique wealth creation opportunity for such a valuable resource which would otherwise be wasted.
Information And Results
Project Summary

In a previous study funded by ND Soybean Council, we have demonstrated that Soybean Meal (SBM) has cementitious properties which is activated by heat and pressure, and it has the capacity to absorb water like high performance water absorbent like vermiculite. In this proposal, we will fundamentally design high strength cementitious structures with durable properties by tailoring the protein content and surface properties by coating with bioplastics. Once the high strength cement with tailored durability has been designed then we will manufacture high strength concrete and/or aggregates by using SBM. The SBM-based concrete and composites will be a game changer as it will create high performance building
materials from renewable biomass whose valuation is low. We will also explore the absorbent potential of SBM as a potential reservoir for absorbing emerging contaminants like Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) from water supplies for farm usage which is in direct alignment
with the RFP to create “Ag for Ag new uses application”. The successful completion of these two critical thrust areas will create a demand for high volume SBM usage which will create large quantities of SBM usage use in cement and absorbent sector. The project is in direct alignment
with research priority areas 1,2,4 and 9 of ND Soybean Council.

Project Objectives

. Objectives: The project will have four objectives:
1. Optimize the physical and mechanical behavior of SBM-based composites by tailoring the
protein and carbohydrate content in the matrix.
2. Increase the durability of the cementitious composites by developing coatings of
hydrophobic polymers like Polylactic Acid (PLA) on SBM particles.
3. Design high performance concrete by using optimized SBM as the cementing phase.
4. Design biosorbents from SBM for absorbing Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS).

Project Deliverables

Project deliverables: Deliverable-1: By design of experiment (DOE), the optimal
composition of SBM-based cement will be selected by engineering protein content.
Deliverable-2: Advanced hydrophobic coatings by using corn-based or soy-based bioplastics will
be designed.
Deliverable-3: Advanced sustainable compositions will be designed by using SBM-based
cement and/or aggregates.
Deliverable-4: Absorption capacity of SBM for PFAS remediation will be documented

Progress Of Work

Final Project Results

Benefit To Soybean Farmers

The Green Bison Soy Processing plant, North Dakota’s first dedicated soybean processing plant will use up to 150,000 bushels and will produce nearly 1.3 million tons of soybean meal. The proposal aims to produce the value-added composites and “Ag for Ag products” for bioremediation from SBM, which presents a promising avenue to increase the value of soybean by-products and benefit North Dakota soybean farmers. By utilizing SBM, a readily available and sustainable resources, as a key ingredient in composite materials, we can provide a value-added market for soybean by-products, therefore contribute to the diversification of the agricultural economy in North Dakota. These novel composites have a wide range of potential applications, including construction materials, consumer products and agricultural applications. By removing PFAS from waste water, new market of soybean-based product can be expanded. Overall, this project holds significant potential to enhance the profitability and sustainability of soybean farming in North Dakota while contributing to the sustainable agriculture and economic development of the region.

The United Soybean Research Retention policy will display final reports with the project once completed but working files will be purged after three years. And financial information after seven years. All pertinent information is in the final report or if you want more information, please contact the project lead at your state soybean organization or principal investigator listed on the project.