Based on our early accumulation of biomass resource transformation, this project proposed for the first time and realized the use of biomass to directly reduce various iron compounds in situ at a low temperature of 200-300oC to produce elemental iron, and at the same time, biomass was efficiently oxidized into a high-value added chemical platform product. This result demonstrates the feasibility of developing innovative technologies for energy conservation, environmental protection, and low-temperature iron smelting. Biomass mainly involves glycerol, and the reaction product has high purity and high yield. By controlling the reaction conditions, the conversion rate of oxidized iron to elemental iron can be close to 100%, and the conversion rate of glycerol to lactic acid and hydrogen can reach 70%. The liquid phase of the product is mainly composed of lactic acid and residual glycerol. The component is single, easy to separate and purify, simple process and easy to industrial scale-up.  

As we all know, traditional metal smelting processes have high energy consumption, high pollution, and high CO2 emissions, and the emergence of low-temperature smelting technologies that are energy-saving and environmentally friendly is urgently needed. This technology proposes to use biomass to directly reduce various iron compounds in situ at a low temperature of 200-300oC to produce elemental iron. Compared with traditional high-temperature iron smelting methods above 1000 degrees Celsius, this project achieves low-temperature iron smelting at 200-300 degrees Celsius, which can solve the major problems of high energy consumption, high pollution and high CO2 emissions in the traditional iron smelting industry. Not only can iron compounds be effectively reduced to elemental iron, but biomass as a reducing agent is also oxidized into high value-added chemical platform products. This technology has not yet been reported and is the world's first. The realization of this technology is undoubtedly a major innovation breakthrough in the steelmaking and ironmaking industry, and its economic and social benefits are undoubtedly immeasurable.