Making carbon-free steel with clean electricity
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Steel production generates almost 10% of global carbon emissions and has long been considered “hard to abate.” Enter Boston Metal, a startup that aims to make carbon-free steel using only (sing it with me!) clean electricity. CEO Tadeu Carneiro explains “molten oxide electrolysis” and its potential to transform the industry.

This boston company has developed a new process to manufacture steel using zero carbon dioxide and a whole lot of electricity

  • doubtingtammy
    21·
    6 months ago

    Carbon-free steel is just iron

    [Edit] nevermind I forgot that that I don’t know metallurgy lol

    • GolfNovemberUniform
      15·
      6 months ago

      I think they meant the carbon emissions during the production cycle, not the amount of carbon traces in the product

    • Dippy@beehaw.orgOP
      51·
      6 months ago

      Carbon is just the traditional way of removing oxygen from the iron oxide. There are other ways of purifying the iron. And this method cuts away a lot of steps involving multiple processes and a lot of coal. Give the article a read or listen for more info, it’s really interesting

      • IrritableOcelot@beehaw.org
        5·
        6 months ago

        At least according to Wikipedia, small amounts of carbon (< 2.14%) in the final alloy are an important component in controlling the ductility, which agrees with what I thought I remembered from materials classes (although I am not a materials scientist). Obviously not using the Bessemer process drastically reduces the amount of carbon necessary, but trace carbon is important.

      • doubtingtammy
        2·
        6 months ago

        Thanks for setting me straight! I kinda assumed it was some green washing bs, but the details in the interview are very interesting