Birmingham University partnership to improve carbon-recycling technology

CBMM, a leading producer of niobium, has partnered with the University of Birmingham to reduce the cost of producing this element used in closed-loop carbon technology, with the aim of securing future supply to support the decarbonisation of heavy industries.

Closed-loop carbon technology using the rare element could reduce carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions in carbon intensive industries such as steel-making. The industry accounts for 25 per cent of all industrial CO₂ emissions. When combined with iron-production, the sector emits between 7-9 per cent of fossil-based CO₂ emissions per year.

Professor Yulong Ding, Chamberlain Chair of Chemical Engineering, and founder of the University of Birmingham’s Centre for Energy Storage, commented: “Foundation industries such as steel-making, which provides essential materials to a wide range of other industries, are major emitters of CO2 and amongst the hardest sectors to decarbonise.

“We are pleased to work with CBMM on this project, which aims to deliver a decarbonisation solution that is not only technically and economically viable, but also environmentally sustainable.”

A closed-loop system for steel production

The CO2 polluted from industrial processes, such as steel production, can be captured and channelled through niobum-based perovskites. This crystalline mineral lattice transforms the CO₂ into carbon monoxide (CO). This CO can be fed back into the blast furnace where it acts as a fuel and reducing agent, reducing the amount of coal required.

The niobium-based perovskite has an 100 per cent selectivity for CO product, meaning that the CO₂ passing through is transformed only into CO with no by-products.

An advantage of this approach is its ability to retrofit existing industrial facilities, which reduces the need for costly infrastructural replacements. This facilitates large-scale adoption and ensures existing assets will not become obsolete.

This technology can also operate at lower temperatures than other conventional alternatives such as Reverse-Water-Gas Shift reaction, offering a more energy-efficient and cost-effective pathway to recycle carbon.

Research reveals niobium could cut emissions and costs

Researchers at the University of Birmingham modelled this system and their calculations show that fitting this technology to existing blast furnaces could cut their total carbon emissions by up to 90 per cent.

The research also shows that if implemented in the UK, it could deliver cost savings of £1.28 billion in five years and reduce UK CO₂ by 2.9 per cent.

Professor Ding said: “Current proposals for decarbonising the steel sector rely on phasing out existing plants and introducing electric arc furnaces powered by renewable electricity. However, an electric arc furnace plant can cost over £1 billion to build, which makes this switch economically unfeasible in the time remaining to meet the Paris Climate Agreement. The system we are proposing can be retrofitted to existing plants, which reduces the risk of stranded assets, and both the reduction in CO2, and the cost savings, are seen immediately.”

The outcomes of this project will be commercialised by PeroCycle, a new company designed to develop and sell the niobium-perovskite technology. This spin-out is backed by the University of Birmingham and global mining company Anglo American and led by venture-building Cambridge Future Tech.

Leonardo Silvestre, Executive Innovation Manager at CBMM said: “This partnership represents an important step in the search for viable and sustainable solutions to the challenges facing global industry. We are looking at a promising solution for industrial decarbonisation, especially in the steel sector, due to its potential technical and economic feasibility. Furthermore, the use of niobium across different markets reinforces our commitment to innovation and sustainability.”