【SMM Nickel Market】Researchers at the Max Planck Institute for Sustainable Materials (MPI-SusMat) have unveiled a single-step process that combines metal extraction, alloying, and thermomechanical processing in one eco-friendly operation. The breakthrough, published in Nature, uses hydrogen to reduce oxides into alloys, eliminating CO₂ emissions and drastically lowering energy use.

Conventional nickel production emits ~14 tonnes of CO₂ per tonne of metal. By using hydrogen instead of carbon, the new “one-step metallurgy” yields water as the only byproduct and produces Invar (Fe-36Ni) alloys at ~700°C, well below melting points. The resulting alloys not only retain the low thermal expansion needed in aerospace and energy industries but also show superior mechanical strength from fine-grained structures.

The approach could extend to nickel, iron, copper, cobalt, and even metallurgical waste, opening pathways to high-entropy and soft magnetic alloys. If scaled, this hydrogen-based solid-state method could transform industrial metallurgy, slashing emissions and energy costs while enabling circular use of resources.