One of the most promising solutions to slow down CO₂ emissions is the use of photocatalysis to produce hydrogen as a clean fuel. However, the efficiency of the photocatalysts is not at the desired level, and they usually need precious metal co-catalysts for reactions. In this study, to achieve efficient photocatalytic hydrogen production, a high-entropy oxide was synthesized by a mechano-thermal method. The synthesized high-entropy oxide had a bandgap of 2.45 eV, which coincided with both UV and visible light regions. The material could successfully produce hydrogen from water under light, but the main difference to conventional photocatalysts was that the photocatalysis proceeded without a co-catalyst addition. Hydrogen production increased with increasing time, and at the end of the 3 h period, 134.76 µmol/m² h of hydrogen was produced. These findings not only introduce a new method for producing high-entropy photocatalysts but also confirm the high potential of high-entropy photocatalysts for hydrogen production without the need for precious metal co-catalysts.

This study is concerned with the characterization of iron nuggets obtained from the reduction of an iron oxide concentrate in a microwave oven using a biomass-based reducing agent. In the experiments, the concentrate of iron ore consisting of hematite and magnetite minerals supplied from Elazig region and containing 67.29% Fe after enrichment, and as a reducing agent, tea plant wastes containing 94.68% C and 0.03% S after carbonization was used. Carbon required for the reduction of iron oxides to iron was stoichiometrically added to the concentrate with a grain size of -45 µm after its basicity ratio was adjusted. The composite pellets produced after the addition of reducing agent and flux (CaO) were subjected to reduction in a household microwave oven at different times. After the process, optimum (Fe3O4+Fe2O3)/C=1/4, basicity ratio (CaO+MgO)/(SiO2+Al2O3) =1.2 results were obtained. It was seen that the metallic part contained 96.6% Fe, 2.4% C after being separated from the slag and that the metallic phase was separated from the slag very easily. As a result of the microstructure investigations, it was found that the product obtained had similar properties to white cast iron properties.

Aim: In this work, the effect of milling time on the mechanical alloying of the mixture containing the magnetite concentrate and biomass waste was investigated.Materials and Methods: The ore’s grade consisting of hematite and magnetite minerals was increased from 49.87% Fe to 67.29% Fe using the low intensity wet magnetic separator. Biomass waste which was supplied from ÇAYKUR black tea facilities, used as a carbon source was subjected to carbonization processes at 800°C for 1440 min. After the carbonization process, the carbon and sulphur contents of the biomass were measured as 94.68% and 0.03%, respectively. For the mechanical alloying process, a mixture consisting of magnetite concentrate with a grain size of -45 μm and biomass which was added two times the amount of carbon required for the reduction of magnetite to metallic iron was used.Result: After the mechanical alloying process which was carried out at different times, it was observed in the particle size analysis that the particle size of 90% of the mixture was reduced to about 4 μm. In SEM (Scanning Electron Microscopy) images, cube-like particles along with the spherical particles were observed depending on the mechanical alloying times. After 45 minutes of alloying, it was observed that the carbonized product milled together with magnetite concentrate was partially integrated into the crystal structure.Conclusion: The carbonized tea plant waste milled together with magnetite concentrate was partially integrated into the crystal structure. And the mechanical alloying provide to increase in the specific surface area in parallel with the grain size decrease in the study. Thus, in the later stage of the study, the milled powder acquired more ability to react.

Aims: In this study, microwave interaction of magnetite ore concentrate which was mixed with carbonized biomass waste and divided into different grain sizes, was studied. Materials and Methods: The mixture consisting of magnetite concentrate and carbonized product was pelletized by the addition of molasses and jelly as binders. The pellets prepared with various particle size powders were subjected to microwave treatment at different times. Results: emperature of the pellet produced with powders between -212 +150 μm grain sizes and -45 μm were measured as 837.5°C at 304th second and 945.9°C at 210th second respectively. Conclusion: Although there was a large temperature difference between the core and the surface of the pellet, a high degree of metallization was observed in these samples.