New Prosperity Partnership will build an AI system to predict how using different kinds of scrap in steel production affects product performance.
A research partnership exploring how artificial intelligence can make steel recycling more predictable has been announced by Tata Steel. Imperial will take part in the £7 million project, contributing expertise on advanced metal forming, fracture characterisation and modelling.
This collaboration will accelerate the development of low-emission steel grades for demanding applications, positioning the UK as a world leader in green steel innovation. Dr Jun Jiang Department of Mechanical Engineering
"This collaboration will accelerate the development of low-emission steel grades tailored for demanding applications, firmly positioning the UK as a world leader in green steel innovation," said Dr Jun Jiang of the Department of Mechanical Engineering, who is leading Imperial's participation in the project.
The steel industry is increasingly interested in using recycled metal to create new steels, but at the same time it must take account of impurities that this material brings into the production process. These residual elements can affect the performance of the final metal product, potentially compromising high-performance steels for use in automotive components and packaging.
The aim of the ADAPT-EAF partnership is to develop an AI-powered platform that will predict how different scrap types and compositions impact steel quality and processability. The AI system will be coupled with rapid alloy prototyping and advanced testing to predict and optimise the performance of steel made in electric arc furnaces (EAFs). In particular, the project will focus on EAF-compatible steels for car bodies and food cans.
"This partnership will enable us to unlock the full potential of electric arc furnace steelmaking, combining advanced data science with metallurgical expertise," said Professor Howard Stone of the University of Cambridge, the project's lead academic. "By working closely with Tata Steel, we aim to deliver practical solutions that support a more sustainable future for the UK steel industry and beyond."
Greener steel
Electric arc furnaces have the advantage of producing fewer carbon emissions than traditional blast furnaces, giving the resulting steels a much lower carbon footprint. To this end, Tata Steel is about to start building a new electric arc furnace at its Port Talbot site.
"This partnership enabled through the EPSRC Prosperity Partnership programme has come at the right time," said Rajesh Nair, Chief Executive of Tata Steel UK. "We need to pool all available resources available at our academia to develop technologies at speed that can lead to a sustainable steel business in the UK."
Prosperity Partnerships, sponsored by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council, bring together leading industrial companies and academics around urgent economic and societal challenges. In this case, the project involves Tata Steel UK, the University of Cambridge, Imperial and the University of Warwick.
In addition to the core R&D project, the five-year programme will fund 13 PhD studentships across the three universities to conduct leading research into the advanced manufacturing of steels and steel products suited to EAF steelmaking.
Preferred partner
This is just the latest EPSRC Prosperity Partnership to draw on expertise from Imperial. Recent awards include a partnership on sustainable and flexible packaging with Unilever, led by Professor Koon-Yang Lee from the Department of Aeronautics, and a partnership on modern chemical manufacturing methods with BASF, led by Professor Mimi Hii from the Department of Chemistry.
We're combining cutting-edge research with business expertise to turn science into practical solutions that can make a difference in people's daily lives. Lord Vallance Science minister
Other Prosperity Partnerships involving Imperial researchers focus on nuclear fusion, molecular medicine, sustainable cleaning products and the energy transition, to name but a few.
"By backing scientists to work hand-in-hand with industry, we're combining cutting-edge research with business expertise to turn science into practical solutions that can make a difference in people's daily lives," said the science minister, Lord Vallance, announcing the latest batch of Prosperity Partnerships.
Imperial also has a long-standing collaboration with Tata Steel through the Centre for Innovation in Sustainable Design and Manufacturing. Set up in 2024, the £10 million centre has been working on high performing and sustainable products in the automotive and clean energy industries, through new types of steel and combinations of steel with other materials.
Images courtesy Tata Steel UK
