Having become the first company to mass-produce high-manganese steel for cryogenic use, South Korean steel manufacturer POSCO has received approval from energy giant ExxonMobil to use the material to store and transport liquefied natural gas (LNG).
The high strength material was first developed by POSCO in 2013 and is characterised by its wear resistance, cryogenic toughness, and non-magneticity due to the addition of a ‘large amount’ (10-30%) of manganese to iron.
To maintain the liquid state of LNG, it must be stored at or below -162C. The ‘cryogenic toughness’ shown by POSCO’s high-manganese steel makes it an ideal material for such low temperatures.
Abundant and relatively inexpensive, manganese is seen as a highly competitive alternative to more expensive alternatives.
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