Making carbon-free steel with clean electricity
www.volts.wtf
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

  •  Dippy   ( @Dippy@beehaw.org ) OP
    5•4 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   ( @IrritableOcelot@beehaw.org ) 
      5•4 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.