Superconducting magnet cuts steel heat treatment time by 80%

Researchers at the University of Florida (UF), supported by nearly $11 million in federal funding, have developed a pioneering superconducting magnet that could revolutionize steel and aluminum manufacturing by drastically reducing heat treatment time and energy consumption. The technology, known as Induction-Coupled Thermomagnetic Processing (ITMP), combines high-temperature heat treatment with strong magnetic fields to accelerate phase changes in steel, cutting processing times by up to 80%. This approach enhances carbon diffusion in steel through magnetic fields acting as an external driving force, enabling what traditionally takes eight hours to be completed in just minutes. The $6 million prototype magnet, paired with a cylinder induction furnace, can process steel samples up to five inches in diameter and is currently housed in UF’s Powell Family Structures and Materials Laboratory. The ITMP process offers significant industrial benefits, including lower energy use, reduced operational costs, and potential carbon emissions reductions, contributing to cleaner and more efficient metal production. Oak Ridge National Laboratory collaborators have highlighted the technology’s potential to