Accelerating alternative cemented carbide development through decision-ready synchrotron and neutron insights

Purpose and goal

Sandvik Mining, Scatterin and KTH aim to accelerate the development of alternative cemented carbides for rock drilling tools. The project addresses Sandvik Mining´s need to better understand material behaviour and performance. The goal is to make synchrotron X-ray diffraction (S-XRD) and neutron diffraction (ND) more effective tools for materials development by turning complex experimental results into useful industrial insights.

Expected effects and result

The project is expected to provide new knowledge and improved diffraction analysis and interpretation methods that support faster materials development and more informed design decisions. The results can contribute to reduced dependence on critical raw materials and strengthen industrial competitiveness. The developed methods will also support broader industrial use of large-scale research infrastructure.

Planned approach and implementation

The project will use in-situ S-XRD to study phase evolution, phase-specific lattice strains and stress partitioning during high-temperature deformation of cemented carbides. Complementary neutron diffraction (ND) will verify assumptions used in residual-stress analysis in industrial geometries. Sandvik Mining provides materials and industrial requirements, while Scatterin and KTH contribute expertise in experiments, data analysis and materials science.