| About this Abstract |
| Meeting |
MS&T24: Materials Science & Technology
|
| Symposium
|
Application of ICME Methods to Advance Sustainable Metallurgy and Metals Processing
|
| Presentation Title |
Green Ironmaking via Ammonia-Based Direct Reduction of Iron Ores |
| Author(s) |
Yan Ma |
| On-Site Speaker (Planned) |
Yan Ma |
| Abstract Scope |
Ironmaking is one of the largest single causes of global warming. The reduction of iron ores with fossil fuel currently generates ~7% of the global CO2 emissions for producing 1.85 billion tons of steel annually. This fact leads to an urgent decarbonization challenge in the steel industry and fuels efforts to deploy renewable and carbon-free reductants. Here, we show a novel approach to making sustainable steel by reducing iron ores with ammonia. Ammonia is an annually 180-million-ton-traded chemical energy carrier, with established transcontinental logistics and low liquefaction costs. It can be synthesized with green hydrogen, and release hydrogen again through the reduction reaction. This advantage connects it with green ironmaking as a promising hydrogen carrier, for replacing fossil reductants. The ammonia-based reduction of iron ores proceeds through an autocatalytic reaction; is kinetically as effective as hydrogen-based direct reduction; yields the same metallization; and can be industrially realized with existing technologies. |