WISE congratulates recipients of two EU fellowships for research supporting the green transition

Sadia Ilyas, Associate Professor of Process Metallurgy at Luleå University of Technology and WISE Fellow.and Alberto Vomiero, Professor of Experimental Physics at Luleå University of Technology. Picture credit:Luleå University of Technology.

Selected in highly competitive calls, the projects aim to deliver innovative solutions that reduce environmental impact while strengthening Europe’s access to sustainable materials and chemicals.

Turning pollution into sustainable fertiliser

The first project, PulseUS, focuses on developing a novel method for converting carbon dioxide and nitrate into sustainable urea. The ambition is twofold: to cut greenhouse gas emissions and to simultaneously purify polluted water.

—We want to develop an innovative method to produce urea directly from carbon dioxide and nitrate. If successful, we can turn two serious environmental problems into a valuable resource for agriculture. It is about gaining control of the reaction at a leel that has not been previously possible, says Alberto Vomiero, Professor of Experimental Physics at Luleå University of Technology and WISE-affiliated researcher.

By combining advanced catalyst design with pulsed electrochemistry, the project seeks to precisely control the reaction microenvironment and improve the coupling of carbon and nitrogen.

—By combining a novel catalyst design with pulsed electrochemistry, we can control the reaction microenvironment in a way distinct from conventional methods. This is essential to make the process both efficient and sustainable,  adds Abebe Reda, Marie Skłodowska-Curie Fellow at Luleå University of Technology.

Circular use of industrial residues

The second project, SURGE, addresses the growing demand for critical raw materials by transforming industrial residues into advanced materials for energy technologies. By recovering graphite from hydrometallurgical process streams and stabilising fluorine in mineral forms, the project creates a more circular and resource-efficient material flow.

—Global demand for critical raw materials is increasing rapidly. We need strategies that both secure resources and reduce environmental impact. This project shows how industrial residues can become a resource in a circular economy,  explains Sadia Ilyas, Associate Professor of Process Metallurgy at Luleå University of Technology and WISE Fellow.

International recognition for excellence

Both projects were funded in one of the EU’s most competitive calls. The SURGE proposal received a score of 98.6 percent in the evaluation, while PulseUS received 97.2 percent. According to Alberto Vomiero, the results reflect the strength and relevance of the research environment.

“It is a highly prestigious recognition and a confirmation of the excellent research and environment we have built. Together, the projects strengthen our expertise in sustainable chemical production and circular material flows for the green transition,” he says.

The projects are strongly aligned with WISE. To learn more about of Prof. Alberto Vomiero’s and Prof. Sadia Ilyas’ research at WISE, please visit: 

Low bandgap solar absorbers: a combined experimental and computational approach

Sadia Ilyas