MAX IV is awarded 200 million SEK from Knut and Alice Wallenberg Foundation and WISE to construct and establish a 3D imaging X-ray technology aimed at studying and developing advanced materials for the transition to a sustainable society.
Wallenberg Initiative Materials Science for Sustainability, WISE, is the largest investment ever in materials science research in Sweden. The vision for the research program is a sustainable future through materials science, and the new beamline is an important tool to get one step closer to this vision.
TomoWISE, the new beamline, combines two techniques to create high-resolution 2D and 3D images of advanced materials. This opens up for significant breakthroughs in materials research with a focus on green energy technology, circular material flows, and climate transition. TomoWISE will offer world-leading performance for studies of materials' nano- and microstructure and their changes during, for example, heating or mechanical impact.
“With TomoWISE, we take a decisive step into the future and strengthen Sweden's role in materials research for sustainability. By understanding the innermost structures of materials, we can enable the development of next-generation sustainable solutions – from energy-efficient technologies to resource-wise material flows. This is exactly the type of investment needed to scientifically lead the green transition”, say Magnus Berggren and Olle Eriksson, directors of WISE.
“The facility is designed to meet future research needs and also takes into account upcoming upgrades of MAX IV's storage rings (MAX 4U), which ensures continued Swedish leadership in X-ray-based research. With this investment, we create conditions for international researchers to operate in Sweden and gain access to world-leading research infrastructure and advanced technology. The expected transition to user operation will be during the second half of 2029. I want to extend a warm thanks to WISE and the foundation for their continued trust in MAX IV and for their invaluable commitment to Swedish research”, says Olof Karis, director of the MAX IV laboratory.
“From the foundation's side, we are proud to be able to contribute through this donation to further elevate Swedish research in materials science. The knowledge that the various experiments at the new beamline result in will play a crucial role for Sweden in the transition to a sustainable society”, says Sara Mazur, Executive Director, Knut and Alice Wallenberg Foundation.
About WISE
WISE (Wallenberg Initiative Materials Science for Sustainability) is the largest investment in materials science ever in Sweden and includes major investments at the leading universities in Sweden in a period of 12 years. The vision is a sustainable future through materials science.
The program is a collaboration between Chalmers University of Technology, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Linköping University, Luleå University of Technology, Uppsala University, Stockholm University, Lund University, as well as selected research groups at the University of Gothenburg, Karlstad University, Umeå University, and Örebro University.
Through collaborations with industry and society, WISE aims to promote and activate a transition towards a sustainable society while advancing the scientific frontier in materials science, establishing Sweden as a leading nation in the field.
WISE is funded by the Knut and Alice Wallenberg Foundation, and the total budget for the WISE program is nearly 3 billion SEK during the period 2022–2033.
More information
Knut and Alice Wallenberg Foundation was founded in 1917. The foundation's purpose is to benefit the country and support Swedish basic research and education primarily in medicine, technology, and natural sciences.
Since 1917, the foundation has allocated over 39 billion SEK. In 2024, the annual grants for excellent basic research and education in Sweden totaled nearly 2.4 billion SEK.
MAX IV is a Swedish synchrotron light laboratory in Lund that delivers extremely intense X-ray light to study materials at the atomic level.
Contacts
Olle Eriksson, Deputy Program Director, WISE
018-4713625
[email protected]
Magnus Berggren, Program Director, WISE
011-363 637
[email protected]
Sara Mazur, Executive Director, Knut and Alice Wallenberg Foundation
08-545 017 80
[email protected]