Plasma Breakthrough Promises Cleaner, Cheaper Iron Production
A research team at the University of Minnesota Twin Cities has opened a potential new chapter in the history of iron and steelmaking. By observing iron formation in real time at the nanometre scale, they have pioneered a process that could transform the industry’s reliance on coal and dramatically cut global carbon emissions.
Published in Nature Communications, the study demonstrates how iron can be produced at room temperature using hydrogen gas plasma, bypassing the centuries-old reliance on coke. If adopted at scale, the technology could make steel production cleaner, cheaper, and significantly more efficient.
The carbon problem in steel
Steel has long been at the heart of modern civilisation. Yet its production comes at an immense environmental cost. The iron and steel industry currently accounts for around 7% of global carbon dioxide emissions, making it the largest industrial emitter worldwide. Traditional production methods involve removing oxygen from iron ore with coke, a form of coal, releasing vast amounts of CO2 in the process.
Finding a viable alternative has become an urgent task as industries worldwide push towards net zero. The University of Minnesota team believes their plasma-based approach could be part of the solution.
How plasma changes the game
The new method uses hydrogen gas plasma—an ionised gas teeming with highly reactive hydrogen atoms. When these atoms interact with iron ore, they strip away the oxygen to leave behind pure iron and water vapour. Crucially, this avoids the carbon emissions traditionally associated with ironmaking.
“We developed a new technique that allows us to monitor plasma-material interactions at the nanometre scale, which has never been done before,” explained Jae Hyun Nam, the study’s first author and a PhD student in the University’s Department of Mechanical Engineering.
Unlike conventional blast furnaces, this approach can operate at room temperature, saving energy while cutting pollution. It also opens the door to new innovations in material processing, both in the US and globally.
Collaboration drives innovation
The research was made possible through a collaboration with Hummingbird Scientific, a specialist in advanced microscopy tools. Together, the team designed a bespoke holder for use inside a transmission electron microscope, allowing them to watch reactions at nanometre resolution.
“Overcoming the technical challenges of this research was one of the most difficult experiments we’ve done,” said Peter Bruggeman, senior author and Distinguished McKnight University Professor in Mechanical Engineering. “Generating plasmas on a scale around the size of a human hair, which is required to obtain the nanometre resolution, creates significant engineering challenges which we collaboratively tackled with Hummingbird Scientific.”
Previously, optical methods could only track reactions at a few hundred nanometres—roughly a thousandth the diameter of a human hair. This leap forward delivers a hundredfold improvement in resolution, giving scientists a clearer window into the chemistry of iron reduction than ever before.
Energy and cost advantages
Beyond its environmental promise, the process may also deliver significant economic benefits. Plasma generation is thought to be far more energy-efficient than traditional heating methods.
“Creating plasma could be energetically a lot more efficient than heating the material,” noted Andre Mkhoyan, another senior author and professor in the Department of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science. “This innovation could lead to materials being modified with lower energy consumption, ultimately making processes more economically efficient.”
By slashing the energy needed, manufacturers could lower operating costs while also improving their carbon footprint. That combination of green and lean may prove irresistible to an industry under pressure to decarbonise.
Global implications for steel
With steel demand expected to keep rising, especially in emerging economies, the stakes could hardly be higher. According to the International Energy Agency, demand for steel is projected to grow by over 30% by 2050, even as global targets demand steep cuts in industrial emissions. Breakthroughs like this one may well determine whether climate goals are met.
If the plasma process scales successfully, it could:
- Reduce dependence on coal and other fossil fuels in steelmaking
- Cut production costs through lower energy use
- Provide a path for the US and other nations to strengthen domestic manufacturing
- Support global climate commitments through decarbonisation of heavy industry
The technology is still in the research phase, but its potential is significant. For policymakers, investors, and industry leaders, this breakthrough represents a beacon of possibility in one of the hardest sectors to decarbonise.
Towards a greener steel future
The message is clear: steel, the backbone of infrastructure and modern living, need not remain one of the world’s dirtiest industries. With innovations like plasma-based ironmaking, the sector has a chance to reinvent itself—greener, leaner, and ready for a low-carbon world.
