1. Forum
  2. Usenet
  3. SCI.MISC

  • It checks all the boxes

    From JAB@21:1/5 to All on Wed Feb 7 20:12:43 2024
    An electrifying new ironmaking method could slash carbon emissions

    By extracting metallic iron without producing carbon dioxide, the new
    process could even be carbon negative, at least for part of the
    world's iron production

    Making iron, the main ingredient of steel, takes a toll on Earth's
    delicate atmosphere, producing 8% of all global greenhouse gas
    emissions. Now, a team of chemists has come up with a way to make the
    business much more eco-friendly. By using electricity to convert iron
    ore and salt water into metallic iron and other industrially useful
    chemicals, researchers report today in Joule that their approach is
    cost effective, works well with electricity provided by wind and solar
    farms, and could even be carbon negative, consuming more carbon
    dioxide (CO2) than it produces.

    "It's a very clever approach," says Karthish Manthiram, a chemical
    engineer at the California Institute of Technology who was not
    involved with the study. He notes that the process has other
    advantages, including working at a low temperature, and being amenable
    to working with intermittent renewable electricity. "It checks all the
    boxes."


    https://www.science.org/content/article/electrifying-new-ironmaking-method-could-slash-carbon-emissions

    --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
    * Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)
  • From Theo@21:1/5 to JAB on Mon Feb 12 16:44:13 2024
    JAB <here@is.invalid> wrote:
    An electrifying new ironmaking method could slash carbon emissions

    By extracting metallic iron without producing carbon dioxide, the new
    process could even be carbon negative, at least for part of the
    world's iron production

    "Still, a laboratory experiment is a long way from an industrial process.
    Even if the technique can be scaled up, there are kinks to work out. The Oregon group’s setup generates essentially as much chlorine gas as it does iron, notes Iryna Zenyuk, a chemical engineer at the University of
    California, Irvine. Although chlorine gas has many industrial uses, the
    amount that would be generated by a scaled-up version of the new method
    would be more than is needed, leading to pollution. As well, Zenyuk says, producing iron electrochemically requires that the starting iron oxide be pristine without the impurities found in most ores. “Purification can be costly,” she says.

    Kempler says both concerns are valid. Even so, scaling production to match industrial chlorine gas needs would still produce tens of millions of tons
    of CO2-free iron and chlorine annually, he notes. As for the purification
    of iron oxide, he adds that because sodium hydroxide is well known to bind
    to trace impurities in iron ore, some of it can be used to purify the iron oxide prior to use in the reactor, a project they are currently testing. If
    it all works out, ironmaking could someday put a little less burden on the climate."


    What could you do with an excess of chlorine? Assuming all the industrial
    uses have taken what they need and there is still some remaining.

    Theo

    --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
    * Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)
  • From JAB@21:1/5 to theom+news@chiark.greenend.org.uk on Sat Mar 2 05:57:27 2024
    On 12 Feb 2024 16:44:13 +0000 (GMT), Theo
    <theom+news@chiark.greenend.org.uk> wrote:

    What could you do with an excess of chlorine?

    Disinfect more water?

    --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
    * Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)
  • From D@21:1/5 to JAB on Sat Mar 2 13:58:36 2024
    On Sat, 2 Mar 2024, JAB wrote:

    On 12 Feb 2024 16:44:13 +0000 (GMT), Theo
    <theom+news@chiark.greenend.org.uk> wrote:

    What could you do with an excess of chlorine?

    Disinfect more water?

    Adding to that:

    Disinfectant: Chlorine is commonly used to kill bacteria and disinfect
    water in drinking water and swimming pools1
    4
    .
    Chemical Industry: Chlorine is utilized in organic chemistry as an
    oxidizing agent and in substitution reactions. It is a key component in
    the manufacture of consumer products like PVC, plastics, paints, textiles, medicines, antiseptics, insecticides, and paints1
    4
    .
    Water Treatment: Chlorine is crucial in sewage treatment works and is used
    to treat drinking water to make it safe for consumption1
    .
    Medical Applications: Around 85% of pharmaceuticals use chlorine or its compounds during their manufacturing process1
    .
    Historical Uses: Chlorine was historically used to make chloroform and
    carbon tetrachloride but is now strictly controlled due to health risks.
    It was also used as a chemical weapon during World War I1
    .
    Industrial Applications: Chlorine is involved in making bleached paper products, solvents like chloroform, tetrachloromethane, and
    dichloromethane, as well as in the production of dyes and paints1

    Enjoy! =)

    Best regards,
    Daniel

    --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
    * Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)