Alumni

Stella's PhD explores how we can deliberately create non-homogeneous structures. This opens up possibilities to reduce the need for rare or critical raw materials while tailoring components to be stronger, harder, or more durable exactly where it’s needed.

Stella planned how functional gradients could be formed within a material. She assessed the factors affecting the gradients and how gradients affected material structures by combining advanced modelling with experiments - measuring structures at the nano, micro, and millimetre scales. Her findings contribute to developing more sustainable tool materials for demanding applications such as metal cutting or rock drilling, where combining high hardness and toughness is essential.

Towards the end of her PhD studies, Stella was offered a research position within Sandvik Coromant ( LinkedIN ). At Sandvik, she has already demonstrated her expertise in this field by securing her first patient. We are pleased to continue to collaborate with Stella via the NEXT Competence Centre  and other iniaitives.

Marcio was an industrial PhD student, who worked with the Scania Group investigating how tiny bubbles lead to major material damage. This issue affects the durability of engine cooling systems and engines, especially in heavy-duty vehicles. While it was long believed that individual collapsing bubbles were the main source of material damage, Marcio's research tells a different story. His work highlights the crucial role of bubble clouds. When these clouds implode near a component’s surface, they generate powerful pressure waves that stress and damage the material. These insights, as well as Marcio's other findings, bring us one step closer to making vehicle components more robust and resistant to erosion.

Marcio's next step after his PhD is within the Scania Group ( LinkedIN ), where he will work further on his PhD findings. We hope to continue to collaborate with Marcio e.g. via initiatives in the Center for Mechanics and Materials Design  and NEXT Competence Centre , where Scania are also active.

Gabriel's contribution to infrastructure development is exemplified by the conceptual design and specifications of a new hutch  at the PETRA III Swedish Materials Science beamline. This new hutch was conceived to support industrially-relevant sample environments and complement the existing hutch at the P21.1 branch.

Gabriel supported research via his practical skills in setting up and using complex sample environments. Another area of expertise was the analyse complex synchrotron data, exemplified by this article  on precipation kinetics.

Gabriel now uses his research and infrastructure expertise at Swerim AB, Stockholm. ( LinkedIn )

We are pleased to be able to continue to collaborate with Gabriel e.g. via his role as a Project Leader in the NEXT Competence Centre.

Tim's expertise is in micro mechanical modelling, expecially the emerging field of chrystal plasticity. This novel modelling expertise complemented materials characterisation work, enabling Tim to make a noteworthy contribution to many publications together with KTH colleagues. ( Diva )

Tim is now a Senior Researcher at Hamburg University of Technology ( Linkedin ), Hamburg - which is his hometown.

We are pleased to continue to work with Tim in several initatives e.g. the Steel4fatique project.

Tania collaborated with Ovako with the aim to identify the mechanisms underpinning fatique in the mounts of ball bearings. The work conducted in the Center for Mechanics and Material Design ( MMD ).

The microstructures of different materials, which had been subject to various levels of rolling contact fatique, were studied and compared using a comprehensive set of materials characterisation techniques at the Hultgren Lab  and at synchrotron facilities. The use of multiple characterisation techniques enabled the qualification and quantification of underlying fatique mechanisms as well as the extent of the materials' fatique degregation. Tania developed a strong scientific understanding of the coupling between the microstructural properties of materials and a materials' susceptibility to degregation and fatique.

Tania went on to become a researcher at Ovako, Sweden. ( LinkedIn )

We are pleased to be able to continue to work with Tania e.g. via Ovako's partnership in the NEXT  Competence Centre.

Prasath was the Director of the Hultgren Laboratory, where his expertise in materials characterisation techniques and deep understanding of research was much appreciated by laboratory users as well as students and staff at our unit.

Prasath was offered a senior position at Outokumpu ( LinkedIn ), where he now works with research and innovation activities.

We continue to collaborate with Prasath on individual projects as well as activities within the NEXT  Competence Centre, where Outokumpu is a partner. For example, this photograph, which shows Prasath of the left, is taken at a beamtime experiment. That experiment also involved one of our post docs, two masters thesis students and the unit manager.