This study investigates the non-isothermal reduction of iron ore fines with two different carbon-bearing materials using the thermogravimetric technique. The iron ore fines/carbon composites were heated from room temperature up to 1100 °C with different heating rates (5, 10, 15, and 20 °C/min) under an argon atmosphere. The effect of heating rates and carbon sources on the reduction rate was intensively investigated. Reflected light and scanning electron microscopes were used to examine the morphological structure of the reduced composite. The results showed that the heating rates affected the reduction extent and the reduction rate. Under the same heating rate, the rates of reduction were relatively higher by using charcoal than coal. The reduction behavior of iron ore-coal was proceeded step wisely as follows: Fe₂O₃ → Fe₃O₄ → FeO → Fe. The reduction of iron ore/charcoal was proceeded from Fe₂O₃ to FeO and finally from FeO to metallic iron. The reduction kinetics was deduced by applying two different methods (model-free and model-fitting). The calculated activation energies of Fe₂O₃/charcoal and of Fe₂O₃/coal are 40.50–190.12 kJ/mol and 55.02–220.12 kJ/mol, respectively. These indicated that the reduction is controlled by gas diffusion at the initial stages and by nucleation reaction at the final stages.

Vanadium carbide is known, for its hardness and other unique properties, as a refractory material. The synthesis of vanadium carbide is always associated with the utilization of expensive active metals, such as aluminum, calcium and magnesium, as a reducing agent to extract the vanadium metal from its corresponding oxide, followed by carbidization. The carbidization of reduced vanadium requires a complicated process and elevated temperature. Mechanical activation to synthesize vanadium carbide from its corresponding oxide and carbon source represents a promising, straightforward and less energy-intensive route. In the present study, vanadium carbide is synthesized by the carbothermic reduction of a mechanically activated mixture of V₂O₅ and carbon black as reducing agents without any additives. The reduction process is monitored by means of thermogravimetric analysis. The reduction products are characterized by X-ray diffraction and field emission scanning electron microscope. It is found that V₈C₇ with an average crystallite size of 88 nm can be synthesized from a V₂O₅-C mixture after milling for 15 h and further heating at 1050 °C for 1 h in an inert atmosphere.

Calcium metal was successfully produced from Egyptian limestone ore under vacuum using aluminium as a reducing agent. The aluminothermic reduction process of CaO by aluminium metal was followed up by collected amounts of produced calcium metal. The progress of the reduction process was investigated by the phase analysis of produced reaction residues through X-ray diffraction. The technical parameters affecting the reduction progress were investigated such as reductant stoichiometry, reduction temperature and reduction time. Maximum metallic yield (30%) was obtained by using charge containing 19.4% aluminium powder reduced at 1300°C for 90 min under vacuum (10⁻³ mbar). The reduction residues composed mainly of unreacted calcium oxide, tri-calcium aluminate (3CaO·Al₂O₃), mayenite (12CaO·7Al₂O₃) and traces of calcium aluminide (CaAl₄). The probable reaction sequences of the aluminothermic reduction of calcium oxide were also discussed.

This research work focuses on the practicality of using organic binders for the briquetting of pellet fines. The developed briquettes were evaluated in terms of mechanical strength and reduction behavior with hydrogen. A hydraulic compression testing machine and thermogravimetric analysis were incorporated into this work to investigate the mechanical strength and reduction behavior of the produced briquettes. Six organic binders, namely Kempel, lignin, starch, lignosulfonate, Alcotac CB6, and Alcotac FE14, in addition to sodium silicate, were tested for the briquetting of pellet fines. The highest mechanical strength was achieved using sodium silicate, Kempel, CB6, and lignosulfonate. The best combination of binder to attain the required mechanical strength even after 100% reduction was found to be a combination of 1.5 wt.% of organic binder (either CB6 or Kempel) with 0.5 wt.% of inorganic binder (sodium silicate). Upscaling using an extruder gave propitious results in the reduction behavior, as the produced briquettes were highly porous and attained pre-requisite mechanical strength.