The National Science Foundation (NSF) awarded a $275,000 Phase I Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) grant to Limelight Steel Inc. under the NSF Technology, Innovation, and Partnerships (TIP) program (CFDA 47.084). The project aims to develop a laser furnace system that can thermally decompose low-grade iron ore to produce molten iron metal and steel in a more sustainable, energy-efficient, and cost-effective manner compared to existing green steel production technologies. The key objectives are to 1) demonstrate the feasibility of using blue laser diodes to rapidly heat and decompose low-grade iron ore, and 2) validate the potential for this approach to significantly reduce energy consumption and hydrogen demands associated with steelmaking. This innovation has the potential to enable the use of abundant low-grade iron ore feedstocks and deliver a greener steelmaking process that can provide a competitive advantage for the U.S. steel industry.
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