Materials Research
for sustainable energy and industry. Materials Research at Karlstad University has a long tradition as a strong research environment. The core of Materials Research are scientists in Materials Engineering, Materials Physics, Physical Chemistry and Mechanical Engineering. Collaborations and cooperations with other Universities, research institutes and companies are important and intense.
News
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2025-12-19
New Dissertation on High-Quality Steel
In a study, phD student Katerina Chantziara has investigated what causes steel fatigue and what makes it break. The aim of the research is to contribute to improved durability.
– I have studied different martensitic tool steels and examined what happens inside the material when it is subjected to stress, and what ultimately causes it to fracture, says Katerina Chantziara, PhD student in physics.
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2025-12-19
New Master’s Program in Mechanical Engineering with Data-Driven Specialization
Karlstad University Launches New Master’s Program in Mechanical Engineering with Data-Driven Specialization.
The new Master’s program in Mechanical Engineering – Specialization in Data-Driven Mechanical Engineering, set to begin in August 2026. This innovative program reflects the growing importance of data analytics and computational methods in modern mechanical engineering, preparing graduates to meet the challenges of Industry 4.0 and beyond.
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2025-12-08
WISE supports solar cell research
Research on organic solar cells at Karlstad University is now taking another step forward, thanks to support from WISE, the Wallenberg Initiative Materials Science for Sustainability.
The sun is an enormous resource and increasingly important for electricity production. Roughly one to two hours of sunlight hitting the Earth corresponds to the entire annual energy consumption of humanity. At Karlstad University, researchers are working on developing more efficient organic solar cells, which offer several advantages such as flexibility and low production costs.
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2025-12-03
New Project in Solar Cell Research Begins
The new project HiPER-Ni aligns with the global transition to renewable energy by addressing resource scarcity, reducing manufacturing costs, and improving both sustainability and efficiency, according to the Swedish Energy Agency, which is the funder.
– The project aims to replace costly silver with a new, silver-free metallization based on nickel, says Markus Rinio, Professor of Physics.
As the solar cell industry scales up toward an annual production capacity of 1,000 gigawatts, silver consumption is expected to represent nearly 30 percent of global production, estimated at 30,000 tons per year by 2028.
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2025-11-19
Can a photovoltaic system for a typical single-family house be profitable?
The answer to that question is yes. In a recently completed project, the economic benefit of a photovoltaic system has been studied, based on real data from a Swedish villa.
– The study shows that the photovoltaic system can generate economic profit, even without investing in a battery for energy storage, says Markus Rinio, Professor of Renewable Energy – Photovoltaics.
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2025-11-14
Ellen Moons elected new Secretary General of the Royal Swedish Academy
Ellen Moons, Professor of Physics at Karlstad University, has been elected new Secretary General of the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences. She will succeed Professor Hans Ellegren at the beginning of 2026.
– I am very happy for the trust I receive from the members of the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences (KVA) and I look forward to the new role. Of course, it means that I will be spending much more time in Stockholm, but I will continue living in Värmland and keep some of my duties at Karlstad University part-time, says Ellen Moons.
Ellen Moons research focuses on novel materials for photovoltaic applications, including organic and polymer-based solar cells, as well as solution-processed perovskite solar cells.
