Multiscale and Operando Studies on the Role of Micro- and Nanostructures in Hydrogen-based Direct Reduction of Iron Oxides (HYDRI)

• Applicant: Dr.-Ing. Yan Ma
• Subject Area: Metallurgical, Thermal and Thermomechanical Treatment of Materials
• Term: from 2021 to 2023
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 468209039

• Final Report Year: 2023

Final Report Abstract

The HYDRI project addresses the urgent need for decarbonization in the steel industry, a major contributor to global CO2 emissions. The primary focus is on fossil-free ironmaking processes, particularly hydrogen-based direct reduction (HyDR). The project aims to understand the correlation between material micro-/nanostructures and HyDR kinetics, emphasizing the role of material defects. The three main objectives include the correlation of phase evolution with overall HyDR kinetics, the study of defect formation, and the investigation of micro/nano porosity formation and its role in HyDR kinetics. The results of the HYDRI project provide valuable insights into rate-limiting steps during HyDR and suggest new approaches for enhanced process efficiency, e.g., a hybrid ironmaking process by combining HyDR and hydrogen plasma smelting reduction. In addition, a novel Ammonia-Based Direct Reduction (ADR) process showcases sustainable alternatives to green ironmaking, connecting two carbon-intensive industries (i.e., steel and ammonia production industries) and opening a pathway to render them more environmentally benign and sustainable.

Publications

• Chemo-mechanical phase-field modeling of iron oxide reduction with hydrogen. Acta Materialia, 231, 117899.
  Bai, Yang; Mianroodi, Jaber Rezaei; Ma, Yan; da, Silva Alisson Kwiatkowski; Svendsen, Bob & Raabe, Dierk
  
• Density Functional Studies on the Atomistic Structure and Properties of Iron Oxides: A Parametric Study. Materials, 15(23), 8316.
  Zhang, Shujie; Li, Kejiang; Ma, Yan; Guo, Feng; Jiang, Chunhe; Liang, Zeng; Bu, Yushan & Zhang, Jianliang
  
• Green steel at its crossroads: Hybrid hydrogen-based reduction of iron ores. Journal of Cleaner Production, 340, 130805.
  Souza, Filho Isnaldi R.; Springer, Hauke; Ma, Yan; Mahajan, Ankita; da Silva Cauê, C.; Kulse, Michael & Raabe, Dierk
  
• Hierarchical nature of hydrogen-based direct reduction of iron oxides. Scripta Materialia, 213, 114571.
  Ma, Yan; Souza, Filho Isnaldi R.; Bai, Yang; Schenk, Johannes; Patisson, Fabrice; Beck, Arik; van Bokhoven Jeroen, A.; Willinger, Marc G.; Li, Kejiang; Xie, Degang; Ponge, Dirk; Zaefferer, Stefan; Gault, Baptiste; Mianroodi, Jaber R. & Raabe, Dierk
  
• Hydrogen-based direct reduction of iron oxide at 700°C: Heterogeneity at pellet and microstructure scales. International Journal of Minerals, Metallurgy and Materials, 29(10), 1901-1907.
  Ma, Yan; Souza, Filho Isnaldi R.; Zhang, Xue; Nandy, Supriya; Barriobero-Vila, Pere; Requena, Guillermo; Vogel, Dirk; Rohwerder, Michael; Ponge, Dirk; Springer, Hauke & Raabe, Dierk
  
• Phase transformations and microstructure evolution during combustion of iron powder. Acta Materialia, 239, 118261.
  Choisez, Laurine; van Rooij Niek, E.; Hessels, Conrad J.M.; da Silva Alisson, K.; Filho, Isnaldi R. Souza; Ma, Yan; de Goey, Philip; Springer, Hauke & Raabe, Dierk
  
• Effect of Pore Formation on Redox-Driven Phase Transformation. Physical Review Letters, 130(16).
  Zhou, Xuyang; Bai, Yang; El-Zoka, Ayman A.; Kim, Se-Ho; Ma, Yan; Liebscher, Christian H.; Gault, Baptiste; Mianroodi, Jaber R.; Dehm, Gerhard & Raabe, Dierk
  
• Fundamentals of Green Steel Production: On the Role of Gas Pressure During Hydrogen Reduction of Iron Ores. JOM, 75(7), 2274-2286.
  Souza, Filho I. R.; Ma, Y.; Raabe, D. & Springer, H.
  
• How much hydrogen is in green steel?. npj Materials Degradation, 7(1).
  Özgün, Özge; Lu, Xu; Ma, Yan & Raabe, Dierk
  
• Phase Transition of Magnetite Ore Fines During Oxidation Probed by In Situ High-Temperature X-Ray Diffraction. Metallurgical and Materials Transactions B, 54(3), 1195-1204.
  Zheng, Heng; Daghagheleh, Oday; Ma, Yan; Taferner, Bernd; Schenk, Johannes & Kapelyushin, Yury
  
• Reducing Iron Oxide with Ammonia: A Sustainable Path to Green Steel. Advanced Science, 10(16).
  Ma, Yan; Bae, Jae Wung; Kim, Se‐Ho; Jovičević‐Klug, Matic; Li, Kejiang; Vogel, Dirk; Ponge, Dirk; Rohwerder, Michael; Gault, Baptiste & Raabe, Dierk