Max Planck develops process to produce green nickel
Scientists at the Max Planck Institute for Sustainable Materials (MPI-SusMat) have developed a carbon-free, energy-saving method to extract nickel, Kallanish learns from the German-based research institute
As a critical material used in batteries and stainless steel demand for nickel is expected to double by 2040 due to the increasing electrification of the infrastructures and transport systems. Producing one tonne of nickel currently emits around 20t of CO2, raising concerns about shifting the environmental burden from transportation to metallurgy.
The approach developed by researchers uses a new method to extract nickel from ores in a single step, using hydrogen plasma instead of carbon-based processes. If the CO2 emissions generated during the mining of nickel ore and its transport are considered, the new process reduces CO2 emissions by 84%. In addition, the process is up to 18% more energy-efficient when renewable electricity and green hydrogen are used, as the repeated heating and cooling of the ore is avoided.
The process able enables the use of low-grade nickel ores, accounting for 60% of global nickel ore reserves, which have been overlooked due to the complexity of conventional extraction processes, the institute underlines.
The Max Planck team has published their results in the Nature journal.
Christian Koehl Germany
