About this Abstract |
| Meeting |
2027 TMS Annual Meeting & Exhibition
|
| Symposium
|
Next Generation Electrometallurgical Technologies for Metal Extraction, Refining, and Recycling
|
| Presentation Title |
Molten Salt Electrolysis for Iron Production: Progress Toward Decarbonized Ironmaking |
| Author(s) |
Hojong Kim |
| On-Site Speaker (Planned) |
Hojong Kim |
| Abstract Scope |
Decarbonizing ironmaking requires transformative alternatives to conventional carbothermal reduction. This work investigates molten salt electrolysis as a pathway for direct iron production from iron oxides at intermediate temperatures, offering a promising approach to electrified ironmaking while overcoming challenges associated with both aqueous and high-temperature molten oxide electrolysis. Molten chloride-based electrolytes were developed to enable electrochemical reduction of iron oxides at the cathode and oxygen evolution at the anode. The study focused on understanding electrolyte chemistry, electrode behavior, and materials stability under conditions relevant to sustained iron production. Candidate anode materials were evaluated to identify approaches for improved durability and scalability, and the process was extended from reagent-grade feedstocks to commercial iron ore materials. Ongoing studies are examining the effects of ore impurities on electrochemical performance and material stability. These results demonstrate the technical feasibility of intermediate-temperature molten salt electrolysis and highlight its potential as a scalable route toward low-carbon ironmaking. |
| Proceedings Inclusion? |
Planned: |
| Keywords |
Electrometallurgy, Iron and Steel, Process Technology |