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Project Description

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

The aim of the doctoral 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 metal cutting but also rock drilling. Recycled material often contains impurities that can affect the properties of the final product. We build on a preliminary study where real-time characterization under simulated loading conditions has shown great potential to explain how impurities and microstructure control the behavior of the materials.

The project will take place within the CHARM project, funded by Vinnova, and involves 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 centre 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 goal 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 as supervisors. Decisions regarding supervision are made upon admission.

Admission Requirements

To be admitted to doctoral studies (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 are at advanced level, or
• acquired in other ways, within or outside the country, knowledge that is essentially equivalent.

In addition to the above, there is also a mandatory requirement for English corresponding to English B/6.

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,
• have a professional approach, and
• analyze and work with complex issues.

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

Degree: Licentiate Degree

Information about admission and employment

Only those admitted to doctoral studies may be employed as doctoral students. The total employment period may not be longer than what corresponds to full-time doctoral education over four years. An employed doctoral student may, to a limited extent (maximum 20%), perform certain tasks within, for example, education and administration. A new employment as a doctoral student is valid for a maximum of one year; the employment may thereafter be renewed for a maximum of two years at a time. For studies to be concluded with a licentiate degree, the total employment period may not be longer than what corresponds to full-time doctoral education over two years.

As a doctoral student, you will receive KTH's employment benefits and have a monthly salary according to KTH's agreement for doctoral salaries. Read more about Doctoral Studies at KTH.

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Contact details for trade union representatives.

Doctoral Students' Section (Student Union of the Royal Institute of Technology)

Contact details for the doctoral students' section.

Application

You apply via KTH's recruitment system. As an applicant, you are primarily responsible for ensuring your application is complete when submitted.

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

The application must contain the following:

• CV with relevant professional experience and skills.
• Cover letter with a brief account of why you wish 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 language requirements (see above). Translations to English or Swedish if the original document is not issued in one of these languages. Copies of originals must be certified.
• Representative publications or technical reports. For longer documents, please include an abstract and a web link to the full text.

Other

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