P13 - Sandvik Materials Technology AB (SMT) | Sweden

Sandvik Materials Technology AB, SMT, is a part of the Sandvik Group, and is a world-leading developer and manufacturer of products in advanced stainless steels and special alloys for the most demanding environments, as well as products and systems for industrial heating. SMT offers a wide range of highly-engineered products, based on an integrated production platform and extensive R&D, as well as premium standard products. Within IL TROVATORE, SMT will participate through the Research Group on Special Metals. The research group will bring into this project their know-how on fuel cladding materials for nuclear applications and will be mainly involved in WP2 by supplying industrial-quality cladding tubes for further coating.

Moreover, SMT will contribute to IL TROVATORE with R&D activities carried out by Sandvik Heating Technology AB, SHT (https://www.kanthal.com/en), which belongs to SMT within the Sandvik Group. SHT, founded in 1931 and also known under the trademark Kanthal, is situated in Hallstahammar, some 130 km west of Sweden’s capital Stockholm. Kanthal is a world-leading brand in the area of heating technology. Based on a long tradition of innovation and R&D, Kanthal products are used in a variety of applications, primarily for generation, measurement and control of heat. SHT produces furnace products, heating systems and materials that can withstand high temperatures in both oxidative and corrosive atmospheres. SHT is the only industrial player on European ground producing commercially-available MAX phases, and more specifically the well-known Maxthal 211®(nominally Ti2AlC) and Maxthal 312® (nominally Ti3SiC2) MAX phase materials. Now that the interest in MAX phases is growing rapidly worldwide for many industrial sectors (aerospace, nuclear, etc.), it is crucial that the expertise built at SHT is not lost and that this European industry maintains its leadership in the world as producer of high-quality MAX phase materials. Within IL TROVATORE, SHT will participate through the research group on Advanced Ceramics and Powder Metallurgy. This group will bring into this project their know-how on the fabrication of commercial MAX phase powders and will be mainly involved in: WP1 & WP2 – supply of reference Maxthal 211® and 312® materials & powders for coating deposition; WP4 – characterisation of reference Maxthal 211® and 312® materials; and WP11 – industrial exploitation of results. Since SHT is an European industrial player with pioneering expertise in the production of commercial MAX phase grades, it will also help in identifying new business niches that meet emerging needs beyond the nuclear sector (WP11).