| Abstract Scope |
Electric Arc Furnace Dust (EAFD), an iron-rich by-product of steelmaking, represents a promising secondary source for iron recovery. This study examined the reduction behaviour of EAFD–biochar composite pellets in a laboratory muffle furnace at 1200°C. The raw EAFD was characterized by X-ray Fluorescence, X-ray Diffraction, and Wet Chemical Analysis. Composite pellets were prepared using EAFD, biochar as the reductant, and bentonite as the binder. Reduction was carried out for 10, 20, 30, 60, and 120 minutes to evaluate the influence of holding time. FactSage thermodynamic calculations predicted metallic iron as the stable iron-bearing phase at the reduction temperature. Experimental analyses, including X-ray Diffraction, Scanning Electron Microscopy, and Wet Chemical Analysis, confirmed increasing metallic iron formation, rising from 3.95 ± 2.61% to 39.93 ± 1.59%. The findings demonstrate that longer holding times improve carbothermic reduction and support biochar-assisted iron recovery from steelmaking waste. |