SifMa ‑ Strengthened R&I environments in the Tröndelag and Västernorrland regions through collaboration in materials research

The main goal of the project is to create a functioning collaboration between research environments, business and civil society in Trøndelag and Västernorrland in the area of ​​sustainable materials and chemical production. Central to this project is the industrial development in Ånge municipality, where the use of new sustainable technology is planned to result in the production of chemicals and materials with a significantly smaller climate footprint than traditional technologies.

Ånge municipality and green technology companies operating in the municipality collaborate with research environments in Sweden, including Mid Sweden University, and also other parts of Europe. Despite a great need to benefit from expertise within the field of sustainability, there are very few contacts with the relatively nearby research environments in Trondheim (e.g. SINTEF and NTNU) which have extensive research programs in sustainability in e.g. the process industry.

The interim goal is to develop cross-border collaboration and cooperation at two levels. Two workshops will be held - one on each side of the border - with the opportunity to create contacts and initiate new collaborations between local actors (industry and municipality), research institutions and companies. A specific collaboration project will create close contacts between researchers and industry in a research project.

The project's goal is to further develop a previously developed experimental process to produce a new material that functions as an anode in lithium-ion batteries through theoretical models and experimental trials. It is based on graphene and silicon nanoparticles and has the potential to be developed into a sustainable industrial production method because it is based on readily available raw materials and an environmentally friendly manufacturing process.

This will be a concrete demonstration of possible cross-border collaboration and will simultaneously create a stronger and more general collaboration between research environments in Västernorrland and Trøndelag and industry in the region.