Master's programme in Macromolecular Materials
The master’s programme in Macromolecular Materials provides students with the comprehensive tools needed to develop future materials for advanced health care, energy production, green packaging, surface coatings and many other applications. Graduates can expect career opportunities in academia, research institutes or in a wide range of industries.
Macromolecular Materials at KTH
Students in the master's programme in Macromolecular Materials will learn of the design, synthesis, characterisation, production and development of polymer and fiber-based materials. The students will be able to handle questions pertaining to the choice of raw materials (renewable versus fossil), choice of production processes, material combinations and manufacturing methods to achieve the desired characteristics of the finished product. Great emphasis is placed on environmental issues, such as environmentally-friendly material production and development of sustainable materials.
The programme provides a solid base in the chemistry and physics of organic materials, as well as their connection to real-life applications. A broad range of courses allows students to customise their own degree profile enabling them to focus on individual areas of interest. The programme also establishes excellent laboratory skills and is closely linked to research at the Department of Fibre and Polymer Technology. Skills such as problem-solving and project work are developed and enhanced in many of the courses, as well as oral and written presentations.
This is a two year programme (120 ECTS credits) given in English. Graduates are awarded the degree of Master of Science. The programme is given mainly at KTH Campus in Stockholm by the School of Engineering Sciences in Chemistry, Biotechnology and Health (at KTH).
Degree project
A master's degree project takes place during the final term, it is the culmination of the academic programme and is usually undertaken at KTH, in a research institute, at a company setting or abroad. Topics previously explored during the thesis work include life-time predictions of commodity plastics, microplastics, design of biobased adhesives, synthesis of sustainable polymers, fibre-solution interactions, nanocomposites, 3D-printing and materials for biomedical applications.
Joint master's programme in Polymer Technology
The programme can also be studied as a joint Nordic Five Tech master's programme, with a track in Polymer Technology. This double degree programme includes one year of studies at two of the top technical universities in the Nordic countries and is applied for separately.
Career
Career opportunities for students from this programme are broad and international. Advanced skills in both fibre and polymer technology combined with a clear environmental focus provides an excellent basis for various careers in industry, government agencies and academia and graduates from the master programme are very attractive for many different industries such as the paper and forest industry, plastics, medical technology, pharmaceutical, coating and adhesive and packaging industry. Material expertise is also needed in many other sectors, ranging from transport to electronics.
Programme graduates can be found in traditional Swedish industry, in small start-up companies, consultant companies, governmental institutions, research institutes and universities. Graduates from the programmes have gone on to positions at Stora Enso, Holmen, Volvo Cars, IVL, AstraZeneca, Becker, Scania, Nynäs, BillerudKorsnäs, ABB, Medtronic, GE Healthcare, Pfizer, PRV, and RISE. Graduates from the programme work in all these sectors and are also well-placed for further studies as PhD students.
The need for graduates with the competence offered by the programme will continue to be excellent and are projected to increase in the future.
Students
Find out what students from the programme think about their time at KTH.
Sustainable development
Graduates from KTH have the knowledge and tools for moving society in a more sustainable direction, as sustainable development is an integral part of all programmes. The three key sustainable development goals addressed by the master's programme in Macromolecular Materials are:
Students in the programme learn how to research, design, and produce environmentally friendly materials that will replace many synthetic materials currently found in society. For example, nanocellulose-based fabrics may replace many synthetic-based fabric materials. As such, contributing to a toxin-free society will improve the health and well-being of humanity.
Students in the programme learn how to build resilient materials for use in infrastructure (for example composites, thermoplastics and formulated products). In addition, students learn how to promote inclusive and sustainable industrialisation by developing environmentally friendly materials, which promote innovations in industrial material development.
A study in fibre and polymer technology naturally involves the responsible use of materials and sustainable production. In particular, this relates to the development of new materials with superior properties, leading to a lower consumption of materials, a longer life-time, as well as considerations of end-of-life scenarios for materials.
Faculty and research
The research at the School of Engineering Sciences in Chemistry, Biotechnology and Health spans over a wide range of topics, such as the development of solar and fuel cells as well as other environmentally friendly energy sources, how to store nuclear waste in a safe way, the design of novel polymers for use in the medical industry, how to protect metal surfaces against corrosion, the use of natural materials in new products, and how friction can be explained on a molecular level, among many other research projects.
