Tomorrow's products can be made from yesterday's steel

The steel industry is responsible for significant carbon dioxide emissions, but recycled steel can dramatically reduce its carbon footprint. Researchers at BTH are now investigating how recycled steel can be used in everyday consumer products without compromising quality.

Today, many products are made from steel produced from iron ore in blast furnaces. This process ensures high and consistent quality, but also results in significant carbon dioxide emissions. Researchers at BTH are now testing whether it’s possible to use recycled steel in everyday consumer products without compromising on quality. And they’re using advanced simulations and artificial intelligence to help.

– A more sustainable alternative is to use recycled steel that is remelted in electric arc furnaces. This production method can reduce carbon dioxide emissions by up to about 90 percent compared to traditional steel manufacturing, says Tobias Larsson, professor of mechanical engineering at BTH.

Despite the significant environmental benefits, recycled steel is still used only to a limited extent in products with high quality requirements. The reason is that small amounts of undesirable substances from previous use may remain in the recycled material and affect the steel’s properties.

– We want to understand which substances are present in the recycled steel and how they affect properties such as strength, formability, toughness, and corrosion resistance. The goal is to generate knowledge that makes it possible to use more recycled material without compromising on quality, says Shafiqul Islam, associate professor of mechanical engineering.

Digital twins help industry
An important part of the research involves developing so-called digital twins—virtual models of manufacturing processes that combine simulations and artificial intelligence. The technology is intended to help industry manage the variations that naturally occur in recycled steel.

– With the help of digital twins, we can predict how the material will behave during production and suggest adjustments to the process. This allows us to maintain high quality even when the raw material varies more than in traditional steel, says Shafiqul Islam.

From Research to Real Products
The solutions developed within the research project will be tested in pilot trials using steel intended for, among other things, the automotive industry and the home appliance sector—two areas where quality and performance requirements are particularly high. The goal is to demonstrate that recycled steel can be used in large-scale production while meeting industry requirements.

If the project succeeds, it could pave the way for significantly greater use of recycled steel and thereby contribute to a substantial reduction in carbon dioxide emissions from the steel industry.

– For the steel industry to become more sustainable, we need to find ways to use more recycled materials. If we succeed in doing so, we can both reduce our climate impact and strengthen the circular economy, says Tobias Larsson.

The project is funded by Horizon Europe and will run for four years.

Read more about the project: CiSMA, Circular Steel for Mass-Market Applications | Blekinge Institute of Technology