Forskningsinstitutet Swerim erbjuder tillämpad forskning inom gruvteknik, processmetallurgi, material- och produktionsteknik, främst för gruv-, stål- och metallindustrin. Swerim har 190 medarbetare på två orter i Sverige – Luleå och Stockholm. Institutet är en sammanslagning av Swerea MEFOS och verksamheterna material- och processutveckling samt produktionsteknik vid Swerea KIMAB. - The research institute Swerim provides applied research within mining engineering, process metallurgy and materials and manufacturing engineering, mainly for the mining, steel and metals industry. Swerim has 190 co-workers in two locations in Sweden – Luleå and Stockholm. The institute merges operations at Swerea MEFOS and activities within materials and process engineering and manufacturing engineering at Swerea KIMAB.

Master Thesis: Castability of lead-free brass alloys

 
Background
Brasses are copper-based alloys with zinc as the major alloying element, where most brasses have a copper level in the range of 55-70 %. Traditionally, brasses are alloyed with lead for several reasons, such as lubricant during the cutting operation, helping casting, low price etc. There is a consensus opinion that lead should be phased out for use in most products, which also include brass alloys. As a consequence, the legislation for lead reduction is strengthened at the moment and will be further strengthened in the future. This, in turn, has started an ongoing process to phase out lead in brass products worldwide which also strongly affects the Swedish manufacturers of these products today.

One main challenge when moving towards lead-free brass alloys is the casting process, where many problems such as pores and cavities are observed for new lead-free alloys. In order to find solution, the exact influence of lead and some other structural components on the casting process need to be understood.
 
Project research topics
The main purpose of the master thesis work is to acquire improved knowledge on how lead at first hand as well as some other microstructural components affect the casting process during low pressure casting of duplex brass alloys. This knowledge will have a direct impact on the ability to use new low-lead and lead-free brass alloys in the near future for production of brass products such as faucets.
 
Project activities
The master thesis work will be performed in close collaboration with two companies, one producing brass material and the second using this material to cast final products. The work will include an initial literature review of the current knowledge regarding the factors influencing castability of brass alloys. Casting tests will be performed at the company’s facility in order to evaluate castability for different lead contents. The samples produced will the be characterised at RISE and Swerim by using different techniques such as microscopy and chemical analysis. The castability will be related to the material composition and microstructure.
 
Student profile
We are looking for a master’s student within the areas of physics, chemistry, material science or similar that is interested in doing the above described project as her/his master’s degree project. The master will involve practical work at a company’s facility using their pilot line in an industrial environment and laboratory work for material characterization.
 
Location and start date
Swerim and RISE are located at Isafjordsgatan 28 A in Kista, Sweden.
Master thesis work start in January 2019.
 
Supervisory team
Main supervisor: Emil Stålnacke, phone: 072-354 94 97,  Swerim
Co-supervisor: Olivier Rod, RISE KIMAB 
HR: Anna Söderbäck, anna.soderback@swerim.se, Swerim
 
Interested? Send in your application (CV and motivation letter) no later than December 7^th. 
  
Swerim and RISE are two Swedish research institutes. In our premises in Kista, we work with research and development regarding material and processes, production and corrosion. One of our fields of activities is copper alloys with focus on brasses, and the actual transition towards low-lead and lead-free alloys. For more information,  www.swerim.se and www.ri.se  

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