Researchers at the Max Planck Institute for Sustainable Materials have found that adding nickel oxide as a catalyst precursor can double the reduction kinetics in hydrogen-based steel production. The process, published in Nature Synthesis, works by creating nanoporous nickel that splits hydrogen into reactive atoms, enabling faster reduction at temperatures as low as 300 degrees Celsius. This could make hydrogen-based steelmaking more energy efficient and commercially viable, cutting CO2 emissions from a sector responsible for about 10% of global emissions. The one-step process combines reduction, alloying, and microstructure design, replacing the conventional three-step method that relies on carbon. The team used atom probe tomography and transmission electron microscopy to confirm the hydrogen spillover mechanism. While nickel is the focus, other transition metals like cobalt may offer similar catalytic effects. The findings open a path to more sustainable and cost-efficient metallurgy, though scaling and cost of nickel catalysts remain open questions.
