EXACT, Excellence in Advancing for a Circular Transition

News

• 2026-04-15

  Spring Meeting of the EXACT Research School

  On April 14–15, the EXACT research school held its spring meeting, an opportunity for doctoral students and partner companies to exchange knowledge and experiences. Day one focused on leadership and entrepreneurship, while day two centered on the doctoral projects and the participating companies.

  Bernt Svensson, former Head of Products at Absolent prior to his retirement and a member of the EXACT board, gave a lecture on leadership and the difference between a leadership role and an expert role. The doctoral students reflected on these different roles and shared their concerns, including workload and relationships with colleagues, which make many hesitant to take on a leadership position. A survey by the trade union Ledarna on young managers highlights the same issue: many people aged 18–35 do not want to become managers, for the same reasons expressed by the doctoral students.

• 2026-04-01

  New insights into hornification could strengthen the future of paper production

  When paper dries and is subsequently rewetted, its properties change permanently. This phenomenon is known as hornification. New research now shows that the process is more complex than previously assumed, and that temperature, humidity, and fibre type all play decisive roles.

  Hornification means that fibres in paper products lose some of their ability to absorb water. This has major implications for everything from paper manufacturing to recycling, where controlling the material’s strength and durability is crucial.

  “Fundamentally, hornification is more about removing water than adding heat, and this means that we can actually control the material’s properties and avoid unnecessary strength losses,” says Björn Sjöstrand, Associate Professor of Chemical Engineering and project leader for the research project.

• 2026-03-03

  Recycled cotton fiber can replace wood in viscose production

  From waste to fiber, new research on recycled cotton points the way toward more sustainable textile production.

  – Climate change concerns everyone, yet it is often portrayed as a problem of the future, says Elise Meurs, a doctoral student in chemical engineering at the Exact Industrial Research School. Currently, the textile industry is one of the most polluting industries.

• 2026-02-12

  Elise's presentation won first prize

  At the Swedish Society of Paper and Pulp Engineers' Ekmandagar on January 27, 2026, Elise Meurs, a doctoral student in chemical engineering at the Exact Industrial Research School, won the first prize in the prestigious presentation competition.

   – The competition is conducted in Pecha Kucha format, a presentation format with 20 slides and only 20 seconds per slide, says Elise Meurs. 

• 2025-11-25

  Green Materials Technology for Sustainable Packaging

  Researchers at the corporate research school Exact have developed a new cellulose-based nanomaterial. The density of this new material makes it a greener and more sustainable alternative, for example as a coating in packaging.

  The new cellulose nanomaterial has been created through a special process called Fenton oxidation. This process is based on hydrogen peroxide and iron ions reacting together, which breaks down cellulose fibers in a controlled way. When combined with mechanical treatment, the fibers become highly refined, almost as if they are “frayed” at the micron level.

• 2025-11-18

  Eucalyptus Fibers in Greaseproof Paper Save Energy

  In a study conducted in collaboration with Nordic Paper, it was found that the addition of eucalyptus fibers saved energy during production and also contributed to improved pulp and paper properties.

  – My latest work has focused on improving the energy efficiency of the refining process for greaseproof paper pulp at Nordic Paper by adding eucalyptus fibers to the pulp mixture, which otherwise consists of long-fiber pulp or softwood pulp, says Björn Öman, industrial PhD student at the Exact industrial research school.