Postdoc in micromagnetic modelling of novel rare-earth free permanent magnets

At the Technical University of Denmark, Department of Energy Conversion and Storage (DTU Energy) we are looking for an excellent postdoc to work on modeling of new permanent magnets. In 2020 we celebrated the discovery of electromagnetism by H.C. Ørsted 200 years ago – the founder of the Technical University of Denmark. Since Ørsted’s initial discovery, magnets have become omni-present in our daily life, finding their way into everything from loudspeakers to generators in wind turbines and power plants. The strongest magnets today contain rare-earth metals, which are associated with uncertain supply chains, pollution due to mining, and geopolitical issues. Therefore, research on alternative rare-earth free magnets is a top priority and paramount for green and sustainable growth. Responsibilities and qualifications In the project from the Independent Research Fund Denmark, which this postdoc position is a part of, we will investigate enhancing the magnetic performance of rare-earth free permanent magnets through optimal nanocomposites of grains with specific crystallite orientation as well as controlled microstructure. Our partners at Aarhus University will work on the chemistry of the magnets and your part in the project will be to investigate our rare-earth free magnets using our state-of-the-art open-source micromagnetic model, MagTense, and to develop this model even further. The material considered in this project is created by packing and orienting powders of magnetic nano-particles. You will both model how the magnetization and magnetic field varies within the individual rare-earth free magnetic particles but also within packings of particles, as we know that this crucially affects magnetic properties. The questions we are trying to answer are the following: How does the magnetic field inside a particle depend on the geometry of that particle? What is the best geometry, e.g. aspect ratio, of magnetic particles for the collective behavior to have the overall best magnetic properties? Can both magnetic field strength (remanence) and magnetic field resistance (coercivity) be optimized at the same time by tuning the particle shape? In collaboration with a PhD-student at Aarhus University, you will validate your modeling results against experiments. You will have the opportunity to suggest new experiments and compare the resulting measured experimental properties with your modeling results and thus, together, realize the optimal magnet.