FINAST research strengthens industry's transition to more sustainable steel

The FINAST project brings together researchers and industry in a joint effort to reduce the climate impact of steel production. Through process development, materials research and close dialog between SSAB and Luleå University of Technology, knowledge is developed that can make both industry and society more sustainable.

The work within FINAST spans both process and material development, two areas that are central to the steel industry of the future. Jonas Engdahl, coordinator of the process-oriented projects in work package 2, and Lars Troive, responsible for the projects on material properties in work package 1, together describe how the project contributes to the transition.

Roles and focus areas

One of the main focus areas of the project is the possibility to use bio-based carbon in steel production.
- FINAST supports our ambitions to produce even more CO₂-neutral steel. The next natural step is to be able to use bio-based carbon, and here there are several important issues that the project is working on," says Jonas Engdahl.

On the material side, the challenges lie mainly in understanding how formability is affected when the steels become more climate-neutral.
- "Formability is absolutely crucial when manufacturing products. Therefore, we have a strong focus on bending in WP1, as it is the most common forming process," says Lars Troive.

Collaboration that streamlines research

The collaboration between SSAB and the researchers at Luleå University of Technology is highlighted as one of the project's major strengths. Thanks to the fact that each sub-project has a designated contact person from SSAB, the doctoral students get quick access to the right skills and information.
- It works very well. The close dialog makes the research more efficient and means that the results are constantly brought back to industry, says Jonas Engdahl.

Technical challenges in the transition

In the process part, the entire biochar value chain is currently being mapped - from raw material supply and manufacturing sites to how the carbon affects slag formation and furnace lining. At the same time, material studies are underway on how varying alloy contents in recycled steel affect oxide formation during hot rolling and, by extension, the properties of the materials.

What the results can mean for industry and society

The results are expected to contribute both to SSAB's internal development and to a stronger value chain for fossil-free steel.
- "In the short term, we hope to be able to implement the results directly in production or use them as a basis for decision-making. It is important for the entire industry and society that we succeed," says Jonas Engdahl.

When FINAST studies confirm what SSAB itself is working on in terms of CO₂-neutral steel, it also creates greater security in the development work.
- "When the results are consistent, our decisions become more secure," says Lars Troive.

A collaboration that gives strength to the future

Both coordinators also highlight the project implementation as an important experience.
- Luleå University of Technology has a strong ability to lead and coordinate the project. They are responsive and clear about what they want to achieve, summarizes Jonas Engdahl.