• Hydrogen plasma smelting reduction enables direct stainless steel production from lateritic nickel and chromite ores in a single step, eliminating the need for AOD and VOD converters.
• Optimal feed composition of 30wt% chromite ore and 70wt% calcined nickel ore yields AISI 300 stainless steel with Fe, Cr, Ni, and Si contents of 62.95wt%, 19.37wt%, 11.83wt%, and 0.72wt% after 180 seconds.
• NiO is fully reduced to Ni within 60 seconds, while FeO is nearly fully reduced to Fe within 120 seconds, demonstrating ultrafast kinetics.
• The process significantly reduces CO2 emissions by replacing fossil-based carbon reductants with hydrogen, offering a sustainable alternative for stainless steelmaking.