Work

Scaling-up a hydrogen reduction process to synthesise iron–nickel alloy from a mixture of metal oxide powder

Year: 2026

Type: article

Abstract: The significant carbon dioxide emission and high-energy consumption from traditional pyrometallurgical metal alloy production can be eliminated by using hydrogen as a reductant and processing materials in the solid state. In this study, an iron–nickel alloy was synthesised by solid-state hydrogen reduction of 250 g of a 50 wt% Fe 2 O 3 -NiO powder mixture. The alloy was produced in a horizontal Fe-Cr-Al tube furnace in multiple steps. The metal oxide mixture was exposed to a reducing atmosphere from room temperature, ramped up to 700 °C over 30 min, and held at 700 °C for 3 h. X-ray diffractometry of the reduced product confirmed the absence of oxides and the presence of body-centred cubic and face-centred cubic phases. A trace amount of oxygen was identified by melt-extraction analysis. The oxygen content results encourage pilot-scale iron–nickel production and the broader application of this process for large-scale metal alloy production from metallurgical by-products.

Source: Mineral Processing and Extractive Metallurgy Transactions of the Institutions of Mining and Metallurgy

DOI: 10.1177/25726641261439460

Authors: Arun Kamalasekaran, Pelle Mellin, Pär Göran Jönsson, Christopher Hulme

Institutions: KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Swerim

Language: English

Topic: Iron and Steelmaking Processes

Subfield: Mechanical Engineering

Field: Engineering

Domain: Physical Sciences

SDG: Responsible consumption and production

Open Access status: hybrid

Estimated APC paid: $4,150