Sustainable alloy production via hydrogen-based reduction of metal oxides

Guest Speaker： Prof. Yan Ma，Delft University of Technology, the Netherlands

Inviter: Prof. Dayong An

Date&Time: Tuesday, 18th Nov.  10:00-11:30

Venue:  Yiucheng Lecture Hall (500), Xu Zuayo Building

Biography:

Dr. Yan Ma is a materials scientist specializing in sustainable metallurgy. He studied metallurgy at University of Science and Technology Beijing (bachelor) and RWTH Aachen University (master). He earned his Ph.D. (Magna Cum Laude) from RWTH Aachen University (2019), where his research focused on physical metallurgy of third-generation advanced high-strength steel, particularly the role of interface chemistry in multiphase materials. Following his Ph.D., Dr. Ma worked as a postdoctoral researcher at the Max Planck Institute for Sustainable Materials from 2020 to 2021. Since 2021, he has led the research group ‘Sustainable Synthesis of Materials’ at the MPI. In June 2024, Dr. Ma was appointed Assistant Professor (tenured in September 2025) in the Department of Materials Science and Engineering at Delft University of Technology. Dr. Ma has received several distinctions, including the Walter Benjamin Award from the German Research Foundation (2021) and the DGM Prize for Young Talent from the German Materials Society (2022). He has authored more than 60 peer-reviewed publications in leading journals, including Nature, Science, Acta Materialia. Dr. Ma also serves as one of the Principal Editors of the Journal of Materials Research.

Abstract:

Fossil-free metal production is essential for mitigating the substantial CO2 emissions from the metal industry, which accounts for approximately 10% of global emissions and remains a major driver of climate change. Among emerging solutions, hydrogen-based direct reduction of metal oxides stands out as a promising pathway to decarbonizing metal and alloy production. In this talk, I will introduce the concept of direct alloy synthesis from hydrogen-based reduction of multicomponent oxide precursors and discuss the underlying reaction mechanisms, with a particular focus on the spatial and temporal evolution of the microstructure during the multistep solid-gas reaction. Advanced characterization techniques were employed to probe phase transformations, porosity, and local chemistry throughout the reduction process down to nanoscale. The fundamental reaction mechanisms revealed provide new insights into the sustainable production of metals and alloys via hydrogen-based direct reduction, offering a viable pathway to alloy production with fascinating functionality and minimal CO2 footprint.