Sustainable hydrogen-based direct reduction (HyDR) of iron oxide is an effective approach to reduce carbon emissions in steel production. As the reduction behaviour is closely related to the microstructure evolution, it is important to understand the microscopic reduction mechanisms. Industrial hematite pellets are microstructurally intricate systems with inherent porosity, defects, and impurities. Therefore, in the present study we investigated the HyDR of single crystal hematite (at 700 °C) to elucidate the reduction behaviour and microstructure evolution in a model system. The reduction kinetics of the single crystal (SC) were compared to those of industrial polycrystalline porous pellets using thermogravimetric analysis. Additional SC samples were prepared such that their faces are parallel to the (0001), (101¯0) and (12¯10) crystallographic planes of hematite, and then partially reduced to 16 and 80 % reduction degree. Their microstructure was thoroughly examined by scanning electron microscopy and electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD). Reaction fronts were thus shown to advance into the hematite by a shrinking core model while creating a percolating pore network in the magnetite layer; this was closely followed by wüstite and iron formation, as well as pore coarsening, with the retained oxides proceeding to reduce homogenously throughout the sample abiding by the pore/grain models. Notably, a “cell-like” morphology develops in the magnetite near the hematite/magnetite interface, with finely porous “cell interiors” surrounded by coarsely porous “cell walls”. Furthermore, the hierarchal pore formation, phase transformations, texture, and orientation relationships are considered.

Understanding hydrogen-metal interactions is critical for developing refractory complex concentrated alloys (CCAs), applicable to the hydrogen economy. In this study, we revealed a hydrogen-assisted spinodal decomposition phenomenon at the nanoscale in an equiatomic TiNbZrHfTa CCA upon its exposure to H₂ at 500 °C. Such a decomposition pathway was characterized by a periodic compositional modulation with an up-hill diffusion behavior of the principal metallic elements, particularly Zr, over an extended treatment period (from 0.5 h to 2 h) in an H₂ atmosphere, probed by three-dimensional atom probe tomography. Consequently, the decomposed alloy consisted of a needle-shaped phase enriched in Zr and Ti and a phase enriched in Nb and Ta. Crystallographically, the spinodal features aligned preferentially along 〈001〉 directions of the matrix phase to minimize elastic strain energy. To better understand the role of hydrogen in spinodal decomposition, a statistical thermodynamic model was further developed by incorporating hydrogen to predict the phase stability of the TiNbZrHfTa-H system. This analysis suggested that hydrogen destabilizes the single solid-solution phase by expanding the spinodal region. Such nanoscale spinodal decomposition enhanced the hardness and anti-abrasive properties of the investigated alloy. Thus, this study not only provides fundamental insights into the effect of hydrogen on phase stability, but also demonstrates a novel alloy design strategy by introducing hydrogen as an interstitial alloying element to tailor the microstructure.

Hydrogen, while a promising sustainable energy carrier, presents challenges such as the embrittlement of materials due to its ability to penetrate and weaken their crystal structures. Here γ’-Fe4N nitride layers, formed on iron through a cost-effective gas nitriding, are investigated as an effective hydrogen permeation barrier. The relatively short process carried out at 570 °C consisted of pre-nitriding in an atmosphere with higher nitriding potential, followed by treatment in a nitriding potential of 0.0016 Pa−1/2 to obtain a pure γ’ layer. A combination of screening methods, including atom probe tomography, density functional theory calculations, and hydrogen permeation analysis, revealed that the nitride layer reduces hydrogen diffusion (steady-state hydrogen flux 3.21 x 10−8 mol/m2·s) by a factor of 20 compared to pure iron, at room temperature. This reduction is achieved by creating energetically unfavorable states due to stronger hydrogen-binding at the surface and high energy barriers for diffusion. The findings demonstrate the potential of γ’-Fe4N as a cost-efficient and easy-to-process solution to protect metallic materials exposed to hydrogen at low temperatures, with great advantages for large-scale applications.

Refractory medium/high-entropy alloys (M/HEAs) are emerging as promising alternative materials for hydrogen storage and hydrogen combustion engines due to their favorable thermodynamic and kinetic conditions for hydrogen accommodation (for the former) and promising high-temperature mechanical properties (for the latter). A better understanding of hydrogen-metal interactions is necessary to advance the development of this material class, thus helping leverage hydrogen-based applications. Here we reveal the microstructural evolution of a TiNbZr MEA by in-situ synchrotron high-energy X-ray diffraction (HEXRD) during hydrogenation in pure H₂ gas at atmospheric pressure. At 500 °C, dissolved hydrogen atoms gradually expand the crystal lattice isotropically, and the body-centered cubic crystal remains stable up to a hydrogen concentration of ∼46.4 at.%. The thermodynamics of hydrogen accommodation associated with experimental observations in the crystal lattice is elucidated using density functional theory (DFT). The calculations suggest that tetrahedral interstitial sites are the thermodynamically favorable positions for hydrogen accommodation in both cases (i) for a single hydrogen in the special quasirandom structure supercell and (ii) at a high hydrogen concentration (∼45.4 at.%). In the latter case, hydrogen interstitials are randomly distributed on the tetrahedral sites. Upon cooling, it is observed that the body-centered cubic lattice transforms to a body-centered tetragonal structure. The DFT calculations show that this change is related to the ordering distribution of hydrogen interstitials within the TiNbZr lattice. By combining in-situ HEXRD experiments and DFT calculations, the study provides fundamental insights into hydrogen accommodation in the interstitial positions and its impact on the lattice symmetry in TiNbZr MEA.

Steel production accounts for approximately 8% of all global CO2 emissions, with the primary steelmaking route using iron ores accounting for about 80% of those emissions, mainly due to the use of fossil-based reductants and fuel. Hydrogen-based reduction of iron oxide is an alternative for primary synthesis. However, to counteract global warming, decarbonization of the steel sector must proceed much faster than the ongoing transition kinetics in primary steelmaking. Insufficient supply of green hydrogen is a particular bottleneck. Realizing a higher fraction of secondary steelmaking thus is gaining momentum as a sustainable alternative to primary production. Steel production from scrap is well established for long products (rails, bars, wire), but there are two main challenges. First, there is not sufficient scrap available to satisfy market needs. Today, only one-third of global steel demand can be met by secondary metallurgy using scrap since many steel products have a lifetime of several decades. However, scrap availability will increase to about two-thirds of total demand by 2050 such that this sector will grow massively in the next decades. Second, scrap is often too contaminated to produce high-performance sheet steels. This is a serious obstacle because advanced products demand explicit low-tolerance specifications for safety-critical and high-strength steels, such as for electric vehicles, energy conversion and grids, high-speed trains, sustainable buildings, and infrastructure. Therefore, we review the metallurgical and microstructural challenges and opportunities for producing high-performance sheet steels via secondary synthesis. Focus is placed on the thermodynamic, kinetic, chemical, and microstructural fundamentals as well as the effects of scrap-related impurities on steel properties.

Metallurgical production traditionally involves three steps: extracting metals from ores, mixing them into alloys by liquid processing and thermomechanical processing to achieve the desired microstructures ^1,2. This sequential approach, practised since the Bronze Age, reaches its limit today because of the urgent demand for a sustainable economy ^2–5: almost 10% of all greenhouse gas emissions are because of the use of fossil reductants and high-temperature metallurgical processing. Here we present a H ₂-based redox synthesis and compaction approach that reforms traditional alloy-making by merging metal extraction, alloying and thermomechanical processing into one single solid-state operation. We propose a thermodynamically informed guideline and a general kinetic conception to dissolve the classical boundaries between extractive and physical metallurgy, unlocking tremendous sustainable bulk alloy design opportunities. We exemplify this approach for the case of Fe–Ni invar bulk alloys ^6,7, one of the most appealing ferrous materials but the dirtiest to produce: invar shows uniquely low thermal expansion ^6,8,9, enabling key applications spanning from precision instruments to cryogenic components ^10–13. Yet, it is notoriously eco-unfriendly, with Ni causing more than 10 times higher CO ₂ emission than Fe per kilogram production ^2,14, qualifying this alloy class as a perfect demonstrator case. Our sustainable method turns oxides directly into green alloys in bulk forms, with application-worthy properties, all obtained at temperatures far below the bulk melting point, while maintaining a zero CO ₂ footprint.

Hydrogen-based direct reduction (HyDR) of iron ores has attracted immense attention and is considered a forerunner technology for sustainable ironmaking. It has a high potential to mitigate CO ₂ emissions in the steel industry, which accounts today for ~ 8–10% of all global CO ₂ emissions. Direct reduction produces highly porous sponge iron via natural-gas-based or gasified-coal-based reducing agents that contain hydrogen and organic molecules. Commercial technologies usually operate at elevated pressure, e.g., the MIDREX process at 2 bar and the HyL/Energiron process at 6–8 bar. However, the impact of H ₂ pressure on reduction kinetics and microstructure evolution of hematite pellets during hydrogen-based direct reduction has not been well understood. Here, we present a study about the influence of H ₂ pressure on the reduction kinetics of hematite pellets with pure H ₂ at 700 °C at various pressures, i.e., 1, 10, and 100 bar under static gas exposure, and 1.3 and 50 bar under dynamic gas exposure. The microstructure of the reduced pellets was characterized by combining X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy equipped with electron backscatter diffraction. The results provide new insights into the critical role of H ₂ pressure in the hydrogen-based direct reduction process and establish a direction for future furnace design and process optimization. Graphical Abstract: (Figure presented.)

Ammonia is a promising alternative hydrogen carrier that can be utilized for the solid-state reduction of iron oxides for sustainable ironmaking due to its easy transportation and high energy density. The main challenge for its utilization on an industrial scale is to understand the reaction kinetics under different process conditions and the associated nitrogen incorporation in the reduced material that originates from ammonia decomposition. In this work, the effect of temperature on the reduction efficiency and nitride formation is investigated through phase, local chemistry, and gas evolution analysis. The effects of inherent reactions and diffusion on phase formation and chemistry evolution are discussed in relation to the reduction temperature. The work also discusses nitrogen incorporation into the material through both spontaneous and in-process nitriding, which fundamentally affects the structure and chemistry of the reduced material. Finally, the effect of nitrogen incorporation on the reoxidation tendency of the ammonia-based reduced material is investigated and compared with that of the hydrogen-based reduced counterpart. The results provide a fundamental understanding of the reduction and nitriding for iron oxides exposed to ammonia at temperatures from 500 to 800 °C, serving as a basis for exploitation and upscaling of ammonia-based direct reduction for future green steel production.

For millennia, alloying has been the greatest gift from metallurgy to humankind: a process of mixing elements, propelling our society from the Bronze Age to the Space Age. Dealloying, by contrast, acts like a penalty: a corrosive counteracting process of selectively removing elements from alloys or compounds, degrading their structural integrity over time. We show that when these two opposite metallurgical processes meet in a reactive vapor environment, profound sustainable alloy design opportunities become accessible, enabling bulk nanostructured porous alloys directly from oxides, with zero carbon footprint. We introduce thermodynamically well-grounded treasure maps that turn the intuitive opposition between alloying and dealloying into harmony, facilitating a quantitative approach to navigate synthesis in such an immense design space. We demonstrate this alloy design paradigm by synthesizing nanostructured Fe-Ni-N porous martensitic alloys fully from oxides in a single solid-state process step and substantiating the critical kinetic processes responsible for the desired microstructure.

Iron powder can be a sustainable alternative to fossil fuels in power supply due to its high energy density and abundance. Iron powder releases energy through exothermic oxidation (combustion), and stores back energy through its subsequent hydrogen-based reduction, establishing a circular loop for renewable energy supply. Hydrogen-based direct reduction is also gaining global momentum as possible future backbone technology for sustainable iron and steel production, with the aim to replace blast furnaces. Here, we investigate the microstructural formation mechanisms and reduction kinetics behind hydrogen-based direct reduction of combusted iron powder at moderate temperatures (400–500 °C) using thermogravimetry, ex-situ X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy coupled with energy dispersive spectroscopy and electron backscatter diffraction, as well as in-situ high-energy X-ray diffraction. The influence of pre-oxidation treatment was studied by reducing both as-combusted iron powder (50 % magnetite and 50 % hematite) and the same powder after pre-oxidation (100 % hematite). A gas diffusion-limited reaction was obtained during the in-situ high-energy X-ray diffraction experiment, with successive hematite and magnetite reduction, and a strong increase in reduction kinetics with initial hematite content. Faster reduction kinetics were obtained during the thermogravimetry experiment, with simultaneous hematite and magnetite reduction. In this case, the reduction reaction was limited by a mix of phase boundary and nucleation and growth models, as analyzed by multi-step model fitting methods as well as by microstructural investigation. When not limited by gas diffusion, the pre-oxidation treatment showed almost no influence on the reduction time but a strong effect on the final microstructure of the reduced powder.

When solid-state redox-driven phase transformations are associated with mass loss, vacancies are produced that develop into pores. These pores can influence the kinetics of certain redox and phase transformation steps. We investigated the structural and chemical mechanisms in and at pores in a combined experimental-theoretical study, using the reduction of iron oxide by hydrogen as a model system. The redox product (water) accumulates inside the pores and shifts the local equilibrium at the already reduced material back toward reoxidation into cubic Fe1-xO (where x refers to Fe deficiency, space group Fm3¯m). This effect helps us to understand the sluggish reduction of cubic Fe1-xO by hydrogen, a key process for future sustainable steelmaking.

Steels with medium manganese (Mn) content (3∼12 wt-%) have emerged as a new alloy class and received considerable attention during the last decade. The microstructure and mechanical response of such alloys show significant differences from those of established steel grades, especially pertaining to the microstructural variety that can be tuned and the associated micromechanisms activated during deformation. The interplay and tuning opportunities between composition and the many microstructural features allow to trigger almost all known strengthening and strain-hardening mechanisms, enabling excellent strength-ductility synergy, at relatively lean alloy content. Previous investigations have revealed a high degree of microstructure and deformation complexity in such steels, but the underlying mechanisms are not adequately discussed and acknowledged. This encourages us to critically review and discuss these materials, focusing on the progress in fundamental research, with the aim to obtain better understanding and enable further progress in this field. The review addresses the main phase transformation phenomena in these steels and their mechanical behaviour, covering the whole inelastic deformation regime including yielding, strain hardening, plastic instability and damage. Based on these insights, the relationships between processing, microstructure and mechanical properties are critically assessed and rationalized. Open questions and challenges with respect to both, fundamental studies and industrial production are also identified and discussed to guide future research efforts.

Iron making is the biggest single cause of global warming. The reduction of iron ores with carbon generates about 7% of the global carbon dioxide emissions to produce ≈1.85 billion tons of steel per year. This dramatic scenario fuels efforts to re-invent this sector by using renewable and carbon-free reductants and electricity. Here, the authors show how to make sustainable steel by reducing solid iron oxides with hydrogen released from 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 iron making, for replacing fossil reductants. the authors show that ammonia-based reduction of iron oxide 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. The produced iron/iron nitride mixture can be subsequently melted in an electric arc furnace (or co-charged into a converter) to adjust the chemical composition to the target steel grades. A novel approach is thus presented to deploying intermittent renewable energy, mediated by green ammonia, for a disruptive technology transition toward sustainable iron making.

Hydrogen-based reduction of iron ores is the key technology for future sustainable ironmaking, to mitigate the CO2 burden from the steel industry, accounting for ~7–8% of all global emissions. However, using hydrogen as a reductant prompts concerns about hydrogen embrittlement in steel products. This raises the question of how much hydrogen remains from green ironmaking in the metal produced. We answer this question here by quantifying the amount of hydrogen in iron produced via two hydrogen-based ironmaking processes, namely, direct reduction and plasma smelting reduction. Results suggest no threat of hydrogen embrittlement resulting from using hydrogen in green steel production.

Out of the multitude of researched processing routes for sustainable ironmaking, hydrogen-based direct reduction and hydrogen plasma smelting reduction (HyPSR) are currently the most promising candidates for a successful industrial application. Both processes operate under gaseous atmospheres, which turn the partial and absolute pressure of hydrogen into a relevant process parameter. Here, we present first insights into the influence of total pressure and concentration of hydrogen on the reduction of hematite, focusing on the more pressure-sensitive route (HyPSR). The effect of pressure on the dissociation of H2 molecules into metastable H atoms or H+ ions,- and the overall hydrogen utilization is discussed using a thermodynamic approach. Validation experiments were conducted to testify the practical feasibility of adjusting these parameters. A decrease in the total pressure of the system from 900 mbar to 450 mbar resulted in an improved hydrogen utilization, thus suggesting that a larger population of H atoms can exist in the plasma arcs ignited under 450 mbar. An increase in the hydrogen concentration to 20 vol.% lead to undesired evaporation, likely because of a parallel increase in plasma temperature. Possibilities and challenges for exploiting these pressure-related phenomena for the industrial production of green steel are outlined and discussed.

Steel production causes a third of all industrial CO ₂ emissions due to the use of carbon-based substances as reductants for iron ores, making it a key driver of global warming. Therefore, research efforts aim to replace these reductants with sustainably produced hydrogen. Hydrogen-based direct reduction (HyDR) is an attractive processing technology, given that direct reduction (DR) furnaces are routinely operated in the steel industry but with CH ₄ or CO as reductants. Hydrogen diffuses considerably faster through shaft-furnace pellet agglomerates than carbon-based reductants. However, the net reduction kinetics in HyDR remains extremely sluggish for high-quantity steel production, and the hydrogen consumption exceeds the stoichiometrically required amount substantially. Thus, the present study focused on the improved understanding of the influence of spatial gradients, morphology, and internal microstructures of ore pellets on reduction efficiency and metallization during HyDR. For this purpose, commercial DR pellets were investigated using synchrotron high-energy X-ray diffraction and electron microscopy in conjunction with electron backscatter diffraction and chemical probing. Revealing the interplay of different phases with internal interfaces, free surfaces, and associated nucleation and growth mechanisms provides a basis for developing tailored ore pellets that are highly suited for a fast and efficient HyDR.

The reduction of iron ore with carbon-carriers is one of the largest sources of greenhouse gas emissions in the industry, motivating global activities to replace the coke-based blast furnace reduction by hydrogen-based direct reduction (HyDR). Iron oxide reduction with hydrogen has been widely investigated both experimentally and theoretically. The HyDR process includes multiple types of chemical reactions, solid state and defect-mediated diffusion (of oxygen and hydrogen species), several phase transformations, as well as massive volume shrinkage and mechanical stress buildup. However, studies focusing on the chemo-mechanical interplay during the reduction reaction influenced by microstructure are sparse. In this work, a chemo-mechanically coupled phase-field (PF) model has been developed to explore the interplay between phase transformation, chemical reaction, species diffusion, large elasto-plastic deformation and microstructure evolution. Energetic constitutive relations of the model are based on the system free energy which is calibrated with the help of a thermodynamic database. The model has been first applied to the classical core-shell (wüstite-iron) structure. Simulations show that the phase transformation from wüstite to α-iron can result in high stresses and rapidly decelerating reaction kinetics. Mechanical stresses create elastic energy in the system, an effect which can negatively influence the phase transformations, thus causing slow reaction kinetics and low metallization. However, if the elastic stress becomes comparatively high, it can shift the shape of the free energy from a double-well to a single-well case, speed up the transformation and result in a higher reduction degree compared to the low-stress double-well case. The model has been applied to simulate an experimentally characterized iron oxide specimen with its complex microstructure. The observed microstructure evolution during reduction is well predicted by the model. The simulation results also show that isolated pores in the microstructure are filled with water vapor during reduction, which can influence the local reaction atmosphere and dynamics.

In conventional processing, metals go through multiple manufacturing steps including casting, plastic deformation, and heat treatment to achieve the desired property. In additive manufacturing (AM) the same target must be reached in one fabrication process, involving solidification and cyclic remelting. The thermodynamic and kinetic differences between the solid and liquid phases lead to constitutional undercooling, local variations in the solidification interval, and unexpected precipitation of secondary phases. These features may cause many undesired defects, one of which is the so-called hot cracking. The response of the thermodynamic and kinetic nature of these phenomena to high cooling rates provides access to the knowledge-based and tailored design of alloys for AM. Here, we illustrate such an approach by solving the hot cracking problem, using the commercially important IN738LC superalloy as a model material. The same approach could also be applied to adapt other hot-cracking susceptible alloy systems for AM.

To successfully transition from fossil-fuel to sustainable carbon-free energy carriers, a safe, stable and high-density energy storage technology is required. The combustion of iron powders seems very promising in this regard. Yet, little is known about their in-process morphological and microstructural evolution, which are critical features for the circularity of the concept, especially the subsequent reduction of the combusted oxide powders back to iron. Here, we investigated two iron powder combustion pathways, one in air and one with the assistance of a propane pilot flame. Both processes resulted in spherical hollow particles composed of a complex microstructure of wüstite, magnetite and/or hematite. Partial evaporation is indicated by the observation of nanoparticles on the micro-sized combustion products. The associated gas production inside the liquid droplet could be the origin of the internal porosity and micro-explosion events. Cracking at the end of the combustion process results in mostly open porosity, which is favorable for the subsequent reduction process. With this study, we aim to open the perspective of iron metal fuel from macroscopic combustion analysis towards a better understanding of the underlying microscopic thermodynamic, kinetic, microstructural and thermomechanical mechanisms.

High-resolution three-dimensional crystal plasticity simulations are used to investigate deformation heterogeneity and microstructure evolution during cold rolling of interstitial free (IF-) steel. A Fast Fourier Transform (FFT)-based spectral solver is used to conduct crystal plasticity simulations using a dislocation-density-based crystal plasticity model. The in-grain texture evolution and misorientation spread are consistent with experimental results obtained using electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD) experiments. The crystal plasticity simulations show that two types of strain localization features develop during the large strain deformation of IF-steel. The first type forms band-like areas with large strain accumulation that appear as river patterns extending across the specimen. In addition to these river-like patterns, a second type of strain localization with rather sharp and highly localized in-grain shear bands is identified. These localized features are dependent on the crystallographic orientation of the grain and extend within a single grain. In addition to the strain localization, the evolution of in-grain orientation gradients, misorientation features, dislocation density, kernel average misorientation, and stress in major texture components are discussed.