Currently, blast furnace ironmaking process and direct reduction method are the most mainstream ironmaking technologies. Blast furnace ironmaking has large capacity and high efficiency, whereas the contradiction between high coke ratio and high energy consumption of blast furnace and the green development of the environment has become increasingly prominent. The innovative research and development of coal-based, gas-based direct reduction or smelting reduction technology continuously develop into efficiency improvement and cost reduction. However, the technology with the high-efficiency utilization of carbon as the core under the existing process is constantly approaching the potential limit of carbon reduction. With the purpose of carbon neutrality and carbon peaks, the steel manufacturing industry is actively developing and exploring alternative reduction technologies for iron ore. The rational use of H2 in the ironmaking process has become more and more significant in energy reducing and CO2 emissions. This article discusses the basic research of hydrogen reduction of iron ore, the technical advantages of hydrogen metallurgy and the problems of my country’s hydrogen metallurgical technology achievements and development. It was proposed and verified that the microwave irradiation method could obtain iron powder by hydrogen-rich or pure hydrogen smelting. In the comparative experiment, microwave heating has a better reduction effect than conventional heating methods and H2 had a better reduction rate (78.6%) than that of CO (3.1%) at 1100 ℃ on iron. © 2023 Cailiao Daobaoshe/ Materials Review. All rights reserved.
