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13 October 2025

A new Swedish research infrastructure for additive manufacturing (3D printing) and the finishing and qualification of components in tungsten for future nuclear power is being launched. LiU has been appointed coordinator for the MJOLNIR project.

Male professor in laboratory. Photographer: Ulrik Svedin

In the heat chamber in the 3D-printer for prints in metal. Photographer: Thor Balkhed

Tungsten is the element with the highest melting temperature and can therefore withstand extremely high temperatures. The MJOLNIR project is funded by the Swedish Energy Agency.

“We will be able to provide a national infrastructure for this type of materials research. This paves the way for using tungsten in advanced fission and fusion systems,” says Johan Moverare, research leader in the Division of Engineering Materials at the Department of Management and Engineering.

Cooperation

Together with RISE and its industrial partner Freemelt AB, LiU enables a complete value chain, from handling raw materials to final qualification of manufactured parts.

The new infrastructure will include high-temperature furnaces for stress-relieving heat treatment, sample preparation and surface finish equipment, as well as advanced setups for mechanical testing of miniature samples.

“LiU has extensive experience of characterising mechanical properties of materials for demanding applications, including the development of new test methods and procedures, and standardisation,” says Johan Moverare.

Electrons matter

MJOLNIR is funded with 6.8 million SEK by the Swedish Energy Agency (of which 5.2 million SEK goes to LiU, 1.6 million SEK goes to Freemelt and RISE) and is one of several similar projects at Linköping University.

LiU is also participating in the Electrons Matter project, which is a European doctoral student network for additive manufacturing of tungsten. LiU receives SEK 3.5 million from the European Commission to fund a doctoral student. The network is part of the Marie SkĹ‚odowska-Curie Doctoral Networks (MSCA-DN), which is funded by the EU’s Horizon Europe programme.

Photographer: Thor Balkhed
Electrons Matter addresses the challenges of 3D printing tungsten components using electron beam-based powder bed fusion (PBF-EB), a technology with great potential for creating high-performance parts for extreme environments. The technology is already available at LiU as part of the research centre for additive manufacturing at IEI.Cuttinge edgee training“At LiU, researchers will develop and apply advanced methods for material characterisation and evaluation of mechanical properties, with a focus on understanding defect formation and damage development. Our doctoral students receive cutting-edge training and at the same time contribute to innovations that can accelerate Europe’s green and digital transformation.”

Crucial

In addition, LiU’s profile area Materials Science for Sustainable Technologies (MATTER) has granted a lab investment of SEK 400,000 to the research environment. This investment is co-funded by the Department of Management and Engineering. It includes a full-wave acoustic emission system to detect and analyse micro-damage in brittle and semi-brittle materials.

“This technology is crucial for validating the performance of additively manufactured tungsten components and will directly support ongoing projects such as Electron Matters.”

Together, these three initiatives will make Linköping University a hub for tungsten research and additive manufacturing, with distinctive capabilities benefiting both Swedish and international collaborations.

“I’m especially pleased that these projects complement each other. By combining basic science, industrial application and infrastructural development, LiU’s researchers will contribute to the next generation of nuclear energy and sustainable technology,” says Johan Moverare.

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