Revolutionizing Material Research – Luleå University of Technology Unveils New State-of-the-Art Laboratory

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Glenn Bark, Director of LUMIA and Senior Lecturer at Luleå University of Technology. Picture taken by Luleå University of Technology.

The new LUMIA/WISE laboratory is equipped with state-of-the-art technology that allows for detailed analysis and understanding of materials at the nanoscale—a vital tool for advancing energy transitions and promoting climate-smart industries. The initiative is led by LUMIA (Luleå Material Imaging and Analysis) in collaboration with WISE EST and WISE ACT, technology platforms within the national research initiative WISE, the Wallenberg Initiative Materials Science for Sustainability.

The inauguration follows a strategic investment of SEK 52 million awarded to the university in early 2024 by the Knut and Alice Wallenberg Foundation. The funds have facilitated the acquisition of advanced equipment, including a new FIB-SEM system (Focused Ion Beam Scanning Electron Microscopy) and an instrument for 3D X-ray computed tomography (XCT). Together, these tools enhance the university’s capacity to conduct advanced materials research in close collaboration with industry for the green transition.

-With this equipment, we can analyze materials at a level of detail previously unattainable for us. It opens up new research opportunities and world-class industrial collaborations, says Glenn Bark, Director of LUMIA and Senior Lecturer at Luleå University of Technology.

The laboratory is unique in its kind in Northern Europe. The equipment enables studies of materials down to the micrometer and nanometer scale using plasma and laser ablation, which is crucial for everything from mining to future energy materials.

Erik Nilsson, Senior Research Engineer. Picture taken by Luleå University of Technology.

In connection with the inauguration, a seminar was held with invited speakers from Swedish industry, organized by the Swedish Society for Materials Technology (SFMT). Participants included representatives from SSAB, Swerim, Nouryon, and LKAB—actors with significant interest in advanced analysis and material optimization.

Important milestone for Luleå University of Technology

Olle Eriksson, Professor of Theoretical Physics and Vice Director of WISE, emphasized the laboratory’s significance within the national initiative. He pointed out that the LUMIA/WISE laboratory is the first within the WISE program to receive support from the Wallenberg Foundation, marking an important milestone for Luleå University of Technology.

-The LUMIA/WISE laboratory is part of WISE’s infrastructure investment of SEK 670 million. Congratulations to Luleå University of Technology for being the first to have its equipment procured and installed. It is important that this infrastructure benefits researchers at LTU, as well as the entire WISE community and materials research in the country. Our hope is that the equipment will significantly strengthen Swedish materials research and become accessible to a broad user base. Ideally, LTU will become a place where researchers from across the country gather to conduct advanced experiments.

The advanced technology platforms we are now investing in aim to, together with theoretical methods, provide a deeper understanding of materials and contribute to a better world through sustainable technological solutions. This is precisely the vision of WISE, says Olle Eriksson.

On May 7, activities continue with an open seminar on analysis techniques, particularly aimed at doctoral students and postdoctoral researchers.

The inauguration marks a strategic step in the university’s commitment to sustainable materials science—an area where interdisciplinary and industry-oriented research is crucial for the green transition.

Read more about the WISE research platforms here.