MAX IV Laboratory as a Catalyst for Industrial-Academic Collaborations

In the era of rapid transformation toward a sustainable society, companies are navigating a steep learning curve regarding new materials and manufacturing processes. Synchrotron facilities, such as MAX IV (Figure 1), are emerging as pivotal tools, not only for materials and process research, but also as catalysts for creating interdisciplinary and cross-­organizational collaborative learning platforms.

Fourth-generation synchrotrons as a catalyst for industrial revolution in sustainability

The transition toward a sustainable society, increasingly driven by industry, is forcing companies to find new ways of working. Companies working with a given material system and the corresponding manufacturing process suddenly need to make radical changes to become sustainable. A well-known material system must be exchanged with an unknown material system which can be recycled, has a reduced carbon footprint, or is more abundant. With the radical change in the material system, there is also a need to change the manufacturing process. All these changes need to take place in an extremely short time frame. The knowledge built over decades, sometimes centuries, must be replaced overnight, and the corresponding knowledge about the new material and processes must be acquired fast [1]. In this extreme situation, industries need to find new ways of working, and this is where the landscape of large-scale research infrastructures can play an important role.

Fourth-generation synchrotrons, pioneered by MAX IV, provide extremely brilliant X-rays in combination with fast detectors and data pipelines, offering a unique toolbox for material science and innovation for the shift to a sustainable society.

The tools are in place, but the knowledge is still not widespread enough

This change is not limited to one or a few industry sectors; it is happening everywhere at the same time. The steel industry exchanges carbon with hydrogen as a reducing agent, energy storage in batteries is shifting toward more abundant and recyclable materials, the whole carbon chemistry is being shifted from fossil oil as a source toward biocarbon from the forest and other planted sources, the food sector moves from animal toward plant-based proteins, and the list goes on.

On the upside, synchrotron-based techniques can meet the knowledge gaps in all these fields. On the downside, the knowledge of all ­industrial research challenges does not lie within these facilities. Still, more importantly, the knowledge about the potential of utilizing large-scale research infrastructure to tackle these challenges is not well spread in the industry. From the industry, it is not clear how they can utilize synchrotron-based tools to tackle their challenges. Therefore, it is vital that the industry and synchrotron experts discuss their research needs and the facility’s capabilities, respectively, to find the best ­approach to filling the knowledge gap.

Industry Contact Offices (ICOs) at the synchrotrons all actively engage the industry to spread the knowledge about the possibilities available. However, there is a need to utilize the combined synchrotron user community to quickly spread the knowledge of how to make the best use of these new powerful tools in the best and most effective way.

Bridging academia and industry – The sector approach

In the dynamic research and innovation space, fostering collaboration between academia and industry is crucial. While research infrastructures aren’t necessarily the apparent initiator of this effort, they can serve as focal points for catalyzing meaningful partnerships. The synchrotron facilities bring together scientists from diverse disciplines and industries, facilitating invaluable knowledge exchange. Hence, multi-disciplinary collaborations are at our core.

Recognising the complexity of industrial landscapes and the different degrees of maturity of the different industrial sectors in using synchrotrons, a broad outreach approach has proven impractical. To find a balance, we adopted the ‘industry sector approach’—a narrow enough categorization to establish common ground yet broad enough to cover a significant part of the industry. We identified the ten largest and most relevant industry sectors in the Nordics as targets for our model. Initiating and shaping these communities varies across sectors, each with unique challenges and organizational environments. Embracing this diversity and acknowledging that a one-size-fits-all approach is not the way forward is crucial.

The sector approach serves as a targeted strategy, fostering collaboration between academia and industry within research infrastructures but also connecting technology institutes, industry member organizations, regions, funding agencies and other relevant private or public actors. This flexible framework tailors engagements to each sector’s unique challenges while promoting efficient and impactful partnerships.

Exemplifying collaborative platforms

Metals and engineering industry

The Swedish metal industry, also encompassing the engineering and automotive industries, is one of the largest industry sectors in Sweden [2]. The sector has a large carbon footprint and is transitioning to sustainable operations on multiple fronts. The steel industry is shifting from carbon reduction to hydrogen reduction with considerable investments in new manufacturing plants that also drive changes upstream and downstream. This shift requires new material systems with less sensitivity to the deteriorating effects of hydrogen [3]. Material scarcity and a need for increased recyclability is another important driver for the sector.

Investing in research

The metal industry has a long history of strong connections to universities and research institutes in Sweden and abroad. The sector is broad, penetrating different scientific disciplines and pushing the research frontier through significant R&D investments. The sector has several high-tech applications, including the automotive and aerospace sectors. There is some experience in employing X-ray techniques such as X-ray diffraction, X-ray spectroscopy and X-ray tomography within the sector. This is an excellent starting point for a network of interested individuals to discuss how to employ the emerging synchrotron and neutron capabilities to their research questions.

Network for metals industry

Part of the stakeholder user community in Sweden is gathered through MetalBeams, a network initiated through the Strategic Innovation Programme funded by the Swedish Innovation Council (VINNOVA) focusing on metallic materials and led by the Swedish steel producers’ association, Jernkontoret. The network has been meeting biannually since 2017, focusing on competence building and linking the right competencies to the right research question by connecting industry, academia, institutes, trade organizations and mediator companies to neutron and X-ray capabilities in Sweden and the rest of the world.

Metal Beams exemplifies ongoing efforts to share knowledge, which fosters collaboration, resulting in new projects and research collaborations. The initial phase of building relationships and trust is key to its success, ensuring a two-way knowledge exchange between industry challenges and research capabilities. After more than 5 years of working together, the trust level is high, and the community is exploring new techniques and learning at a more advanced level. The network is involved in developing the facilities to better align with industry needs regarding hardware and adaptable working models. The industry is now actively engaged in the research community that is proposing new beamline projects at MAX IV. Emphasizing the importance of accommodating both exploratory experiments and targeted measurements, the network showcases the value of a holistic approach to collaboration within the metal industry.

MAX IV and PETRA III

Several beamlines at MAX IV are relevant for this sector, particularly NanoMAX, DanMAX, HIPPIE, FlexPES, MAXPEEM, and Balder beamlines. Sweden is also involved in the P21 Swedish Material Science beamline at PETRA III in Hamburg, attracting growing industry interest. The Swedish user engagement is managed through the CeXS center led by KTH and Linköping University, with a solid link to DESY's Innovation and Technology Transfer Department in Hamburg.

Bridging gaps in engineering through strategic collaboration

In a 3-year strategic collaboration, Alfa Laval has played a vital role in bridging the gap between MAX IV, Lund University, and the Nordic engineering industry. By investing in a dedicated staff member in the Industrial Relations Office at MAX IV, Alfa Laval aims to explore and enhance the industry’s utilization of European synchrotron and neutron facilities. This initiative has not only elevated discussions to a strategic level but has also led to the establishment of a joint venture between Alfa Laval and other industries. The joint venture is poised to facilitate industry projects, creating a dynamic collaboration platform between large-scale research infrastructures and the engineering sector. The ongoing work envisages a strengthened industry engagement with advanced techniques, marking a significant step toward maximizing the potential of these cutting-edge tools.

Forest, wood, paper, and pulp industry

The Swedish forestry industry is another significant sector in the country’s economy. As the world’s fourth-largest pulp, paper, and sawn timber exporter, it has a central position in the Swedish economy [4]. The sector holds one of the keys to a sustainable society and circular economy by providing a source of fossil-free carbon. However, there are plenty of challenges to overcome and questions to answer for the sector. Several of these challenges are related to materials and processes, and the analytical tools at the synchrotrons can provide the sector with a new set of tools to address these questions.

Treesearch and the ForMAX beamline

One key driver for this change is the collaborative research platform – Treesearch. Launched in 2017, Treesearch is a national initiative fostering cooperation between academia, industry, and research institutes and building on the Wallenberg Wood Science Center launched in 2009. With 18 partners and nearly 500 associated researchers, Treesearch aims to propel Sweden to the forefront of the bio-based economy. Its focus areas include wood and wood components, biorefinery for materials, fabrication of material systems, and new material concepts. To achieve this ambition and reach a deeper understanding of wood-based materials and processes, the sector needs access to skilled researchers as well as the best research infrastructure available.

With this ambition, industry CEOs and other sector representatives approached MAX IV with a proposal to build an instrument dedicated to researching new materials from wood components. With a donation of 9 million EUR from the Knut and Alice Wallenberg Foundation and industry contributions of 7.2 million EUR, ForMAX enhances research collaboration between academia and industry. This collaboration ensures priority access for Treesearch-associated researchers, furthering the industry’s competitiveness. The ForMAX beamline investment guarantees 50% beamtime to the Treesearch community while providing the rest of the time to the open user access program and other industrial use outside of this sector. The beamline investment acts as a focal point and a gateway to the whole facility, which has a multitude of tools that are well-suited for studying biobased materials. The ForMAX beamline has been in full user operation since 2023, providing exciting results to academic and industrial researchers. However, the beamline itself would not have been such a success if it hadn’t been for the entire research community backing it up through the Treesearch platform. The Treesearch platform and the Wallenberg Wood Science Center host a PhD and postdoc program with dedicated courses, seminars, and events for the research community.

These strategic investments in research and development are crucial for the forest industry. They drive innovation within the sector and position Sweden as a global leader in sustainable, bio-based solutions. The interdisciplinary approach of Treesearch and the advanced capabilities of ForMAX at MAX IV align with the industry’s goals of increased efficiency, competitiveness, and a sustainable future.

Food industry

The food sector in Sweden is again one of the largest industry ­sectors, though it mainly consists of Smaller and Medium-sized ­Enterprises (SMEs) [5]. The food sector faces large challenges in ­resource efficiency, adoption of plant-based alternatives, sustainable packaging, waste reduction, and climate change resilience. While taking a science-based approach to these challenges, the industry sector sees great possibilities with the tools available at the synchrotrons and neutron facilities.

The Northern Lights on Food initiative

The Northern Lights on Food (NLF) initiative represents a pioneering effort to advance science to foster sustainable food systems for improved health and well-being [6]. NLF began as a LINXS (Institute for Neutron and X-ray Science) theme anchored in Lund, Sweden, with the goal of utilizing the cutting-edge technologies of MAX IV and, in the future, the European Spallation Source (ESS) to advance food science. The initiative is constructed around advancing our understanding of food structure, processing, and function through neutron and X-ray characterization methods, thereby contributing to the broader challenges within the food system.

Now in its 4^th year, NLF operates as an inclusive platform, welcoming food researchers, product developers, and SMEs from various organizations, including the food industry, research infrastructures, universities, and institutes. The initiative actively supports SMEs in overcoming challenges that demand innovation and sustainable solutions, providing them access to the advanced technologies offered by ESS and MAX IV. NLF also works to influence the design of instruments, the development of neutron and X-ray techniques, and the ­refinement of data analysis methods to address food-related research queries.

Learning together

NLF strongly emphasizes education and training to cultivate a new generation of food scientists and technical experts. The initiative hosts a yearly conference gathering food scientists from industry, academia, and infrastructure experts. New techniques and analytical tools are trained through in-depth masterclasses tailored to food-specific questions.

NLF's impact is anticipated to extend across the entire food sector, encompassing aspects such as the structure of food raw materials, food processing, materials in contact with food, and the broader nexus of food, health, and well-being. The long-term vision involves the establishment of the European Food Laboratory, an international institute for food research located in Science Village Scandinavia, adjacent to MAX IV and ESS. This laboratory is envisioned as a central hub fostering collaboration between industry and academic partners, further propelling the frontiers of food research and ­application.

Expanding the sector approach

The fastest and most effective way forward would be to expand this collaborative platform approach to other sectors. We already see other sectors, including batteries, textiles, and life science beyond drug discovery, on the horizon. By expanding these platforms, MAX IV aims to provide a space where diverse sectors can converge, fostering a holistic approach to sustainable innovation supported by synchrotron techniques.

Shaping the evolution of research infrastructures

Synchrotron facilities receive invaluable user input through these collaborative platforms, guiding their evolution as infrastructures. We can ensure the industry is part of this dialogue through these platforms. This encompasses organizational enhancements, diversified access modes, and continuous hardware development to better serve and align with the dynamic needs of the communities they support.

Conclusion

The photon-rich beam from a fourth-generation synchrotron, like MAX IV, in combination with fast detectors and advanced data processing pipelines, offers a unique toolbox for material science and innovation for the shift to a sustainable society.

The knowledge of utilizing these tools must spread faster to industry and academia. More research fields and industry sectors need to learn how to harness the advanced tools and be part of the development of the instruments to fit their needs better. This knowledge dissemination could effectively occur through the collaborative industrial-academic platform model, exemplified by initiatives in the metals-, food- and forest sectors, which positions synchrotron facilities as integral partners in the journey toward sustainability.

By treating the industrial user community not as a side business but as an essential part of the broader synchrotron user community, we emphasize putting societal impact at the center, ensuring all players contribute to and benefit from the ongoing transformation.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Figure 1: MAX IV aerial day (image credit: Kenneth Ruona).

Figure 2: MAX IV in action (image credit: Johan Persson).