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Project Description

Research Subject: Materials Science

Cemented carbide tools are crucial for the Swedish manufacturing, construction, and mining industries due to their extreme hardness and wear resistance.

At the same time, the availability of virgin tungsten (W) and cobalt (Co) is uncertain, and only about 10% of today's cemented carbide tools are made from recycled material. Increased recycling is therefore central to reducing energy consumption, climate impact, and dependence on critical raw materials.

The goal of the PhD project is to contribute to a mechanistic understanding of how recycled raw materials affect the microstructure and performance of cemented carbides in demanding applications, primarily metalworking but also mining. Recycled material often contains impurities that can affect the properties of the final product. We are building on a preliminary study where real-time characterization under simulated loading conditions has shown great potential to explain how impurities and microstructure govern the behavior of materials.

The project will take place within the CHARM project funded by Vinnova and is a close collaboration with leading industry partners (Sandvik Coromant, Seco Tools, Sandvik Mining) as well as researchers at KTH and Lund University. The project is also linked to Vinnova's competence center NEXT and European networks such as AIM-NEXT and RESQTOOL. The work includes the development of new characterization methods, analysis of microstructure-property relationships, and knowledge-based optimization of recycled cemented carbides.

The aim is to enable high-performance tools based on recycled material, thereby strengthening sustainability, competitiveness, and raw material supply within Swedish and European industry.

Supervision: Peter Hedström and Lisa Toller Nordström are proposed to supervise the PhD candidate. A decision will be made upon admission.

Eligibility for Admission
To be admitted to doctoral education (Chapter 7, Section 39 of the Higher Education Ordinance), the applicant must have basic eligibility:

• completed a degree at advanced level, or
• fulfilled course requirements of at least 240 higher education credits, of which at least 60 higher education credits at advanced level, or
• acquired equivalent knowledge in some other way, within or outside the country.

In addition to the above, there is also a link (https://www.kth.se/studies/phd/entry-requirements-for-doctoral-studies-1.520175).

Selection
To succeed in your doctoral studies at KTH, you need to be goal-oriented and persistent in your work. In the selection of applicants, the ability to:

• independently drive your work forward,
• collaborate with others,
• maintain a professional approach, and
• analyze and work with complex issues.

After the eligibility requirements, great importance will be placed on personal qualities.

Target Degree: Licentiate Degree

Information on Admission and Employment
Only those who have been admitted to doctoral education may be employed as a PhD candidate. The total employment period may not exceed what corresponds to full-time doctoral education for four years. An employed PhD candidate may, to a limited extent (maximum 20%), perform certain tasks within e.g. education and administration. A new employment as a PhD candidate is valid for a maximum of one year, and the employment may thereafter be renewed for a maximum of two years at a time. For studies concluding with a licentiate degree, the total employment period may not exceed what corresponds to full-time doctoral education for two years.

As a PhD candidate, you will benefit from link (https://www.kth.se/om/jobba-pa-kth/kth-en-arbetsplats-med-manga-formaner-1.467932) and have a monthly salary according to link (https://intra.kth.se/anstallning/anstallningsvillkor/lon/doktorandstegen-1.572915). Read more about link (https://www.kth.se/studies/phd/doctoral-studies-phd-1.9318)

Union Representatives
Contact information for link (https://intra.kth.se/administration/rekrytering/annonsering/fackrepresentanter-1.500898)

The Doctoral Section (Student Union of the Royal Institute of Technology)
Contact information for link (https://www.dr.kth.se/).

Application
You apply via KTH's recruitment system. As an applicant, you have the main responsibility for ensuring that your application is complete when submitted.

The application must be received by KTH no later than the last application day at midnight, CET/CEST (Central European Time/Central European Summer Time).

The application must include the following content:

• CV with relevant professional experiences and skills.
• Cover letter with a brief account of why you want to pursue doctoral studies, your academic interests, and how they relate to your previous studies and future goals. (Max 2 pages)
• Copies of degree certificates and transcripts from previous university studies and certificates of fulfilled link (https://www.kth.se/en/studies/phd/admission-requirements-1.520175). Translations into English or Swedish if the original document is not issued in one of these languages. Copies of originals must link (https://www.kth.se/student/studier/examen/vidimering-av-handlingar-1.55190)
• Representative publications or technical reports. For longer documents, please attach a summary (abstract) and a web link to the full text.

Other
For link (https://www.kth.se/om/work-at-kth/processing-of-personal-data-in-the-recruitment-process-1.823440) in connection with recruitment.

It may occur that an employment at KTH is classified in a security class. If so, a security review of the applicant will be conducted in accordance with the Security Protection Act (2018:585) after consent. In these cases, a prerequisite for employment is that the applicant is approved after the security review.

We kindly ask for no direct contact with staffing and recruitment companies or sellers of job advertisements.

Become a part of KTH

KTH shapes the future through education, research, and innovation. As a leading international technical university, we play an active role in driving and participating in the transition to a sustainable society. Here, you are offered the opportunity to grow and develop in a creative and dynamic workplace with good working conditions and benefits. Gender equality, diversity, and equal opportunities are quality issues and an obvious part of KTH's values as a university and public authority.

link (https://www.kth.se/om/jobba-pa-kth)