Introducing the WISE Researchers

Photo of Minna Hakkarainen taken by Magnus Glan

At WISE, we take great pride in showcasing our distinguished researchers. Today, we are pleased to introduce Professor Ludvig Edman from Umeå University and Professor Minna Hakkarainen from KTH Royal Institute of Technology. They are leading two distinct WISE projects, connected by a shared focus on circularity.

Professor Ludvig Edman leads a research group at Umeå University that investigates the electrochemical and electronic properties of organic semiconductors for the realization of functional and sustainable technologies. The light-emitting electrochemical cell (LEC) has been a focal point of research for two decades, and Professor Edman’s group was first to demonstrate that flexible and thin LECs can be manufactured in low-cost facilities using energy- and material-efficient printing. The research group has also shed light on the fundamental operational mechanism of LECs.

Professor Edman was inspired to apply for WISE funding after recognizing the strong alignment between WISE’s mission to advance cutting-edge materials science in support of sustainable technologies and the focus of his own research group. His project, one of the first to receive WISE funding, is dedicated to advancing LEC technology as a next-generation sustainable and functional light source. Current light-emission technologies are dependent on the use of critical raw materials (CRMs) and on energy-costly vacuum-based fabrication in expensive facilities, and they are in addition difficult to recycle. Professor Edman’s project is thus timely as it aims to develop printed LEC devices that are completely free from CRMs and to improve the emission efficiency by a rational tuning of the dynamic p-n junction doping structure.

Recyclable LECs

Professor Edman’s project aligns with the work of Professor Minna Hakkarainen at KTH Royal Institute of Technology, as both share the goal of designing the new LEC technology to be fully recyclable from the start.

Professor Hakkarainen’s research focuses on developing materials from sustainable, bio-based resources that are specifically engineered for circularity. In collaboration with Professor Edman, her WISE project aims to close the loop for CRM-free LECs by enabling the disassembly and reuse of the components of the device, while also exploring the potential replacement of fossil-based materials with bio-based alternatives.

–  LECs are composed primarily of a barrier layer, which accounts for more than 90% of the device. We will investigate methods to recover and reuse this layer, as well as develop a green, sustainable process to recover the remaining layers and components, explains Professor Hakkarainen from KTH Royal Institute of Technology and WISE researcher.

Together, Professors Hakkarainen and Edman are pushing the boundaries of sustainable technology, ensuring that next-generation light sources are both high-performing and fully recyclable.

To know more about Professor Edman’s research at WISE please visit: https://wise-materials.org/project/a-sustainable-light-emission-technology-through-control-of-dynamic-doping

And to read more about Professor Hakkarainen’s WISE project please visit: https://wise-materials.org/project/turning-linear-to-circular-recyclable-light-emission-devices