Sustainable Industries and Production

Mining activities generate valuable commodities but unavoidably a large amount of mining waste such as tailings. A particular challenge in management of Tailing Storage Facilities (TSF) is related to Arctic climate conditions, implying numerous cycles of freezing and melting and extreme low temperatures. Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy and imaging methods offer versatile tools for analysis of hydrogeological parameters of tailings materials, such as pore fluid distributions and structures, and chemical reactions under variable temperature conditions. The doctoral researcher's research topic is the study of TSFs components using advanced NMR methods in terms of water content, pore space connectivity and chemical treatments under laboratory conditions corresponding to changing climate and extreme weather in the Arctic region.

Related I4WORLD research theme: Sustainable Industries and Production; Clean Water, Biodiversity and Environment

Location of the position: Oulu Mining School (OMS) and NMR Research Unit

Supervisors: Prof. Saija Luukkanen (OMS), Prof. Elena Kozlovskaya (OMS), Prof. Ville-Veikko Telkki (NMR), Assoc. Prof. Vladimir Zhivonitko (NMR) and Dr. Jussi Nousiainen (Agnico Eagle Finland)

Partners: Agnico Eagle Finland

Concrete industry has high CO2 emissions due to high use of Portland cement. High decrease in CO2 emissions could be achieved by using steel slags as supplementary cementitious material (SCM). Unfortunately, these slags are not reactive as SCM due to their chemical composition and mineralogy. Doctoral researcher will investigate surface properties of slags with advanced surface characterization methods. The aim is to control surface dissolution and precipitation reactions, consequently improving the reactivity of slags as low-CO2 cements. Work will be done at the best universities of this research field: University of Oulu and the University of Sheffield, UK. The doctoral researcher will benefit from collaboration with partner company which provides slag samples around the world.

Related I4WORLD research theme: Sustainable Industries and Production

Location of the position: Fibre and Particle Engineering (FPE)

Supervisors: Prof. Mirja Illikainen (FPE), Assist. Prof. Juho Yliniemi (FPE), Lecturer Brant Walkley (the University of Sheffield) and Sami Liponkoski (Magsort Ltd)

Partners: The University of Sheffield (UK) and Magsort Ltd. (Finland)

Activation of small molecules like CO2 and NxOy (greenhouse gases), H2 (energy vector), N2 (environmental), O2 (ideal oxidant) and NH3 (agricultural) for incorporation into value-added chemical compounds e.g., pharmaceuticals and building blocks can be achieved with earth-abundant transition metals, if harnessed by an appropriate molecular scaffold and assisted by photo-excitation. The doctoral researcher’s research topic is the synthesis of novel 3d metal-based catalysts, characterization by (photophysical) spectroscopic methods and evaluation of their catalytic performance in visible light promoted organic reactions. The aim of the research is to deliver sustainable photocatalyic synthetic tools that activate these environmentally relevant gases for industrial transformations.

Related I4WORLD research theme: Sustainable Industries and Production

Location of the position: Environmental and Chemical Engineering (ECE)

Supervisors: Assoc. Prof. Daniela Bezuidenhout (ECE), Dr. Aino Karhu (ECE), Dr. G. Kleinhans (ECE) and Dr. Gregorio Guisado-Barrios (ISQCH, University of Zaragoza)

Partner: Instituto de Sίntesis Quίmica y Catálisis Homogénea (ISQCH), University of Zaragoza-CSIC (Spain)

Lignocellulosic side streams of wood and cellulose processing are the key renewable resources for the emerging circular economy to create sustainable industrial materials for various purposes such as packaging, textiles, composites and electronics. For this purpose, green modifications such as deep eutectic solvents can be used for swelling, activation, dissolution, functionalization and disintegration of lignocelluloses to obtain regenerated, derivatized, bulk solid and nano materials. This doctoral thesis project focuses on understanding the interactions and dynamic phenomena of green solvents and chemicals in lignocellulose modification, and the induced changes in chemical and physical structure of lignocelluloses using advanced NMR techniques.

Related I4WORLD research theme: Sustainable Industries and Production

Location of the position: Fiber and Particle Engineering (FPE)

Supervisors: Prof. Henrikki Liimatainen (FPE), Prof. Ville-Veikko Telkki (NMR), Dr. Otto Mankinen (NMR) and Dr. Milja Hannu-Kuure (Brightplus Oy)

Partners: Brightplus Oy (Finland)

Muography is an emerging method for non-destructive imaging of large-scale object interiors (e.g., volcanos, pyramids, mines, tunnels) using the natural flux of muons produced by galactic cosmic rays in the atmosphere. The project is aimed to develop the tool further after the proof-of-concept stage has already demonstrated the power of muography. The project focuses on building a software tool to simulate muon imaging of various objects. Such a tool is needed for further development of the inversion methods that the muography community needs to reconstruct the physical properties of observed objects and assess requirements for the planned muography measurements, e.g., optimal exposure times and angular resolutions. The project will include modelling and practical and theoretical efforts.

Related I4WORLD research theme: Sustainable Industries and Production

Location of the position: Space Physics and Astronomy (SPA)

Supervisors: Doc. Stepan Poluianov (SPA), Doc. Pasi Kuusiniemi (Muon Solutions Oy) and Prof. Elena Kozlovskaya (Oulu Mining School)

Partner: Muon Solutions Oy (Finland)

Super sulphated cement (SSC) is mainly produced from industrial side streams with ettringite being the predominant hydration product. In general, SSC is made of slag (75-85%), a sulfate source e.g. gypsum (10-20%) and calcium-based activator (1-5%). Instead of gypsum, sulfidic tailings can be used to make similar composition with two advantages: using tailings as a high-value material and stabilizing tailing heavy metals within this binder. SSC is well known for its sulphate resistance but poor carbonation properties. Drawbacks include low early age strength and slow hardening. The doctoral thesis focuses on employing the full potential of sulfidic tailings as a secondary raw material for SSC, improving SSC’s early age properties through pretreatments and additives, and characterizing the reaction products with advanced spectromicroscopic methods.

Related I4WORLD research theme: Sustainable Industries and Production

Location of the position: Fibre and Particle Engineering (FPE)

Supervisors: Prof. Mirja Illikainen (FPE), Dr. Priyadharshini Perumal (FPE), Assoc. prof. Minna Patanen (Nano and Molecular Systems) and Dr. Jaakko Saukkoriipi (Agnico Eagle)

Partner: Agnico Eagle Finland

Cement, the binder in concrete, is one of the main anthropogenic CO2 emission sources. One of the most potential alternative binders is based on magnesium silicate hydrate (MSH) binder with minimal CO2 emissions. The main challenge in the commercialization is the low rate of its hydration. Tackling this challenge needs improved understanding of the fundamentals of reaction kinetics of the binder, and how it can be controlled. The doctoral student’s topic will concentrate on observing the early-stage hydration reaction kinetics with a focus on how to improve the rate of reaction and its link to the mechanical properties and the long-term durability. In-situ characterization tools include time-gated Raman spectroscopy, ATR-FTIR, and liquid state NMR.

Related I4WORLD research theme: Sustainable Industries and Production

Location of the position: Fibre and Particle Engineering (FPE)

Supervisors: Assoc. prof. Päivö Kinnunen (FPE) and Bryan Heilala (Timegate Instruments)

Partner: Timegate Instruments ltd. (Finland)