From minerals to functional magnets

Project title: From minerals to functional magnets
Main applicant: Olle Eriksson, Division of Materials Theory
Co-applicants: Heike Herper, Alena Vishina, Division of Materials Theory, Bjarne Almqvist, Division of Geophysics, Martin Sahlberg, Johan Cedervall, Division of Inorganic Chemistry, Tapati Sarkar, Division of Solid State Physics
Grant amount: SEK 30 000 000 for the period 2025-2030

Project description

We bring together four interdisciplinary research groups with expertise in Earth Sciences, Inorganic Chemistry, Materials Science and Theoretical Physics, to address the outstanding challenges of developing sustainable permanent magnets that are crucial for an environment friendly electrified society and to enable power generation without greenhouse emission. We propose a unique Earth governed design approach to find novel permanent magnets without relying on toxic and environmentally polluting production methods. Specifically, we will consider the precise chemical composition of rare earth elements (REE) available in mixed form in individual Swedish miniral ores and tailor permanent magnets around precisely these compositions. This has the advantage to avoid the chemically hazardous step of isolating individual RE elements, as is done in today's design of magnets. Guided by a mineral specific REE-alloy composition, we will identify the optimal phase and the level of admixture between REE and 3d transition metals (primarely Fe), as well as the desired microstructure, to find new and optimized permanent magnets with significantly reduced environmental impact in their production. Several entirely new permanent magnets for use in green energy technologies are expected outcomes of the project. This is an ambitious 6-year project, and its successful execution will be crucial towards realizing a sustainable energy system and a novel way to identify new functional materials.