Martin Kellerer Wåhlander

The aim of my Ph.D project was to improve electrical insulation materials and develop field-tuning materials of high-voltage cables and accessories by the self-assembly of surface-modified nanoparticles in polymer matrices forming superstructures or well-dispersed nanoparticles.

I have particularly been synthesising surface modifications of alumina, zinc oxide and graphene oxide nanoparticles using controlled radical polymerization. The surface-modified nanoparticles could be designed for various matrices and the inter-particle distance controlled.

Nanocomposite materials with thermo-responsive and field-grading functional properties were successfully developed and tested. Such materials are promising candidates as functional isolation materials in Smart Electric Grids, wearbles and energy-efficient applications.

Academic background

• Ph.D in Fibre and Polymer Science - KTH Royal Institute of Technology Stockholm, Sweden 2017

Ph.D Thesis: Controlled Polymer Grafting from Nanoparticles for the Design of Dielectric Nanocomposites

• Ph.D in Innovation and Entrepreneurship - EIT KIC InnoEnergy, 2017

EiB thesis: Smart Nanocomposites for High-Voltage Applications

• M.Sc. in Chemistry and Chemical Engineering - KTH Royal Institute of Technology, 2007-2008

M.Sc. thesis: Development and Characterization of Superhydrophobic Surfaces – AFM colloidal probe measurements between hydrophilic, hydrophobic and superhydrophobic surfaces in liquid cell

• Research project at the University of Tokyo, 2008:

Transparent and Biodegradable Polymer Nanocomposites reinforced by Nanofibrillated Cellulose Modified by TEMPO-mediated oxidation

Industrial background

Material specialist - polymer materials, for high-speed separators at Alfa Laval, Tumba Sweden, Sep 2017 -

Research engineer contact holders and contact materials in Tapchangers at ABB Components, Ludvika, Sweden April 2011 - Aug 2017

Research engineer in Material Sciences at ABB, Corporate Research in Västerås, Sweden, with focus on material development and coatings for medium to high voltage products (April 2009 - March 2011).

Laboratory Engineer at Alfa Laval and the Material and Chemistry Centre (MACC) in Tumba, Sweden, working with material testing for separators and decanters (October 2008 - March 2009).