SEK 30 million for materials research for a green transition

“We aim to develop new functional materials that are needed for a green transition,” says Olle Eriksson.

The purpose of the Swedish Research Council’s grant is to combine theories, methodology, factual knowledge and/or data from differing disciplines in ways that open up new research fields and research approaches. That is why applicants and participating researchers from at least two genuinely different scientific disciplines must be included in the research environment, which is to focus on interdisciplinary research problems.

These requirements are met in the University’s research collaboration From minerals to functional magnets, according to Olle Eriksson.

“Currently we are a group of seven researchers whose expertise spans geophysics, chemistry, physics, engineering and experimental activities, as well as theoretical activities. Some of them have a long, established collaboration, while other collaborations are completely new,” he says.

Sustainable production methods needed

The focus is on developing materials for new permanent magnets that are needed for the green transition. Permanent magnets are used in today’s electric cars and electric motors, but also to generate electric current from wind turbines. Today, China extracts most of the rare earth elements needed for these magnets from ore, and also produces them. This is done by separating mineral ore into its components in a process that is expensive, time-consuming and environmentally destructive, according to Olle Eriksson.

However, the researchers in Uppsala’s new research environment will be working in a smarter way based on an idea from Martin Sahlberg, Professor of Inorganic Chemistry and a participant in the project.

“We will use local natural resources exclusively and develop a new type of material design,” says Martin Sahlberg. “By designing materials with a chemical composition that is as close as possible to what is found in nature, we can minimise the processing and chemicals needed to separate these different elements from ore. We are doing this to create a completely new and environmentally superior permanent magnet, where the production process is far more sustainable than what is currently used.”

Will use chemically similar metals

Besides iron, the recipe includes chemically similar metals such as cerium, praseodymium, neodymium, samarium and europium. Other potential ingredients include cobalt, nickel and boron, depending on the results of the prospecting that is being carried out around Sweden. Some field work is included in the project, but the majority of the work will be carried out in the researchers’ labs.

The six-year research environment is being coordinated by Olle Eriksson, and will start up in January 2025. A number of young doctoral students will be employed in the project, which is expected to be fully staffed by the beginning of the summer.

“Another thing that I think makes this project very inspiring is that half the researchers are women and half men. It might just be the best thing of all that we could be so gender-balanced,” says Olle Eriksson.

Improving permanent magnets

Since the mid-1980s, research labs and industries have been working to improve permanent magnets, the neodymium magnet being the most demonstrable example. But competing with today’s ultra-powerful magnets is not the goal of the project, adds Olle Eriksson.

“In order to be competitive, I think we should be developing a type of magnet that is almost as good, but that has significantly less environmental impact and a significantly lower cost. On these fronts, I think we have a good chance of out-competing what currently exists,” he says.

What are you looking forward to most?

“Trying to bring in some bright-eyed young people and get started with this project. And then get our team up and running so that we can start working together and get in phase and in time so that we can achieve our common goals,” says Olle Eriksson.

Anneli Björkman