Permanent magnets and nanoparticles

Strong permanent magnets are essential e.g. for generators for wind mills. Modern permanent magnets are based on rare earth elements, mainly mined in China, and are among the highest on the EU list of critical raw materials. It is therefore essential to develop inexpensive and environmental friendly alternatives. The Danish private sector has a large interest in these materials for the purpose of motors, generators, magnetic ball bearings, and for magnetic heating/cooling. Also projects on recycling of rare earth materials are of large interest.

Nanomagnets may soon become relevant for controlling of drug doses in medical treatment, which is a topic that is of high interest in medical technology. Furthermore, Q-MAT partners have projects within environmental technology based upon functional magnetic nanoparticles. Also the possibility that low-temperature magnetic cooling can be based upon molecular magnets, replacing the traditional helium cooling for e.g. medical MR scanners. In Q-MAT we have 2 PhD positions within magnetic nanoparticles (RUC, DTU)