image: An image of a zinc magnesium aluminum (ZMA) alloy taken using an optical microscope under 70X magnification. The dark, leaf-like zinc dendrites are surrounded by a lighter eutectic phase containing all three metals. ZMA coatings are used throughout the world's automotive and construction industries to protect steel structures from corrosion and there is currently a lot of research going into their continuous improvement. view more
Credit: Nathan Cooze/Swansea University
A smart, green and clean steel industry will come a giant step closer thanks to a new £35 million research network, announced today, which will see steelmakers and university experts work together on a seven-year research programme to transform the UK steel sector.
The network, called SUSTAIN, is led by Swansea University, partnered with the Universities of Sheffield and Warwick, and involves more than twenty partners across the UK steel industry: companies, trade bodies, academic experts and research organisations.
It is supported by a £10 million investment from the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council as it will be one of their Future Manufacturing Research Hubs.
The announcement is a landmark as it is the first time that UK steel producers and representatives from the manufacturing sector have lined up behind a co-ordinated programme of research. It is also the largest ever single investment in steel research by a UK research council.
The plan is that SUSTAIN will be a seed from which much wider research and innovation will grow, drawing on expertise across UK academia and beyond.
The aim of SUSTAIN is to transform the whole steel supply chain, making it cleaner, greener and smarter, and more responsive to the fast-changing needs of customers. Its work will be concentrated on two areas:
- Zero waste iron and steelmaking, with the aim of making the industry carbon-neutral by 2040: Steel is already the world's most recycled material, but the network will investigate new ways of making the industry's processes and products even greener, such as harvesting untapped energy sources, capturing carbon emissions and re-processing societal and industrial waste streams.
- Smart steel processing: like any 21st century industry, steelmaking involves masses of data. SUSTAIN will develop new ways of acquiring and using this data in new metallurgical processes, which can deliver bespoke high tech products.
Steel is the most widely-used structural material in the world. If a product isn't made of steel it's made using steel.
Steel is at the heart of UK manufacturing sectors such as the car industry, construction, packaging and defence. It is an indispensable component of the UK's future national infrastructure such as transport, communications and energy, and for high-tech 21st century industries, from energy-positive buildings to wind turbines and electric vehicles.
The work of SUSTAIN is projected to:
- Double UK steel manufacturers' gross value added (GVA) by 2030
- Boost jobs in the industry to 35,000
- Increase productivity by 15%
Dr Cameron Pleydell-Pearce, steel expert at Swansea University and SUSTAIN's deputy director, said:
"This news is a massive vote of confidence in the steel industry. It will support the industry's vision for a responsible, innovative and creative future. We are already on the road to clean, green and smart steelmaking, but this is another giant step forward.
Research and innovation are the bedrock of a modern steel industry. This network represents almost the whole UK steel sector, with researchers and companies working together on an unprecedented scale. Here in Swansea we're proud to lead it."
Gareth Stace, UK Steel Director General, said:
"This new boost of innovation funding into the sector is a vital piece of the puzzle to help deliver our vision of a cutting-edge, vibrant, and sustainable steel industry in the UK.
The future success of our sector rests on our ability to remain at the forefront of product and process innovation, delivering the new steel products demanded by our customers and society. This new hub will enable us to do just that."
Professor Mark Rainforth of The University of Sheffield said:
"Steel is fundamental to every aspect of society. Developing higher performance steels with reduced carbon footprint during manufacture is key to reducing CO2 emissions and therefore contributing to the reduction in global warming. This grant brings together all the UK experts in steel to address this critical issue".
Professor Claire Davis, from WMG, University of Warwick comments:
"The UK has a rich tradition of research excellence and innovation in steel metallurgy. SUSTAIN will bring together leading research groups in this area, as well as introducing new expertise in big data and supply chain innovation, to work collaboratively with the UK industry.
The network will be able to tackle the large issues facing the steel industry, particularly in becoming low energy, carbon neutral, dynamic and responsive to customer needs. It is an exciting time to be working on steel as there are opportunities to contribute to making the planet a greener place."
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Notes to editors:
Funding for the project comes from the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (£10 million) with the remainder coming from the steel industry, universities, research and technical organisations, trade bodies, and the Higher Education Funding Council for Wales.
Swansea University and steel: Swansea University was founded to meet the needs of the metal industries. Today, its work on steel is more important than ever. Swansea is in the UK's steel heartland. The University's Bay campus is within sight of the Port Talbot steelworks. This is the foundation for a strong and enduring partnership.
Researchers in the University and the steel industry work hand in hand on tomorrow's technologies, including:
- New steel-based products which turn buildings into power stations that store and release their own energy
- Using nano-level technology to develop lighter steel for more energy-efficient cars
- Improving the way blast furnaces are loaded and stirred, saving the industry millions
The University also offers brand-new research and testing facilities, including the Steels and Metals Research Institute. Our work with steel is also about people. We prepare people to work in the high-tech world of the 21st century steel industry. We offer programmes to PhD level. We also offer training in areas from metallurgy and corrosion to managing the environmental impact of steelmaking.
When reporting this story, please use Swansea University hyperlinks.
Swansea University is a world-class, research-led, dual campus university offering a first class student experience and has one of the best employability rates of graduates in the UK. The University has the highest possible rating for teaching - the Gold rating in the Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF) in 2018 and was commended for its high proportions of students achieving consistently outstanding outcomes. Swansea climbed 14 places to 31st in the Guardian University Guide 2019, making us Wales' top ranked university, with one of the best success rates of graduates gaining employment in the UK and the same overall satisfaction level as the Number 1 ranked university. The 2014 Research Excellence Framework (REF) 2014 results saw Swansea make the 'biggest leap among research-intensive institutions' in the UK (Times Higher Education, December 2014) and achieved its ambition to be a top 30 research University, soaring up the league table to 26th in the UK.
The University is in the top 300 best universities in the world, ranked in the 251-300 group in The Times Higher Education World University rankings 2018. Swansea University now has 23 main partners, awarding joint degrees and post-graduate qualifications.
The University was established in 1920 and was the first campus university in the UK. It currently offers around 350 undergraduate courses and 350 postgraduate courses to circa 20,000 undergraduate and postgraduate students. The University has ambitious expansion plans as it moves towards its centenary in 2020 and aims to continue to extend its global reach and realise its domestic and international potential.
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For more information:
Kevin Sullivan,Swansea University Public Relations Office
Tel: 01792 513245, k.g.sullivan@swansea.ac.uk