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Fast and reliable techniques to quantify Fe2+/Fe3+ in multicomponent slags
KU Leuven

Fast and reliable techniques to quantify Fe2+/Fe3+ in multicomponent slags

2025-06-15 (Europe/Brussels)
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About the employer

KU Leuven is an autonomous university. It was founded in 1425. It was born of and has grown within the Catholic tradition.

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The work is taking place in the SREMat and HiTemp research groups of the department of Materials Engineering, KU Leuven, in collaboration with industries and universities in the CR³ (Center for Resource Recovery and Recycling (https://wp.wpi.edu/cr3/).
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Responsibilities

In high temperature processes to produce or recycle metals, molten metal or matte is in equilibrium with slag. In these metallurgical slags, the Fe2+/Fe3+ ratio can be an important factor, as it is related to the oxygen activity in the slag and plays a role in the viscosity and electrical conductivity of the slag. In addition, the Fe2+/Fe3+ ratio is also vital for slag valorization. In the CR³ Center for Resource Recovery and Recycling project (https://wp.wpi.edu/cr3/), a PhD thesis topic is put forward by its industrial and academic members to screen and develop techniques for the fast and accurate determination of Fe2+/Fe3+ in slags.
The first aim of this work is to determine which techniques are suitable to determine the Fe2+/Fe3+ ratio in multicomponent slag systems (including PbO) in which more than one phase is present (e.g., amorphous matrix + crystalline solids such as spinel). The second aim is to investigate which technique is fast (to be used as a process steering tool) and can accurately determine the pO2 of the process which produced the liquid slag through the measurement of the Fe2+/Fe3+ ratio. The applicability of this technique will be tested on synthetic slags, and the suitability of the selected technique for industrial application will be evaluated. 

Profile

  • Master’s degree in materials engineering, solid-state physics, chemical engineering, metallurgical engineering, mineralogy, geosciences, or a related field. 
  • Background in metallurgy, processing and characterization techniques.
  • Clear motivation and high academic performance.
  • Creative, critical, analytical, and innovative mindset. 
  • Ability to work independently. 
  • Excellent written and oral communication skills in English. 
  • Willingness to contribute to the research group’s goals. 
  • Willingness to participate in teaching activities within the department of Materials Engineering. 
  • Being open and a team-player is a prerequisite. 

Offer

  • Work within an international research group focused on valorizing secondary resources for sustainable material development, extending beyond academic research to pilot-plant scale demonstration (https://www.mtm.kuleuven.be/onderzoek/semper/sremat).
  • Actively communicate and discuss project results with industry stakeholders within the CR3 consortium, fostering collaboration and alignment on objectives. Meetings are held both in the United States and Belgium, providing opportunities for global knowledge exchange and networking.
  • Participation in an international and interdisciplinary project with a strong network and expertise in metal recovery and recycling processes and residue valorization research. 
  • Opportunities to combine academic research with pilot-plant efforts.

Interested?

For more information please contact Prof. dr. Yiannis Pontikes, tel.: +32 16 32 03 92, mail: [email protected] or Mrs. Annelies Malfliet, tel.: +32 16 32 12 79, mail: [email protected].

KU Leuven strives for an inclusive, respectful and socially safe environment. We embrace diversity among individuals and groups as an asset. Open dialogue and differences in perspective are essential for an ambitious research and educational environment. In our commitment to equal opportunity, we recognize the consequences of historical inequalities. We do not accept any form of discrimination based on, but not limited to, gender identity and expression, sexual orientation, age, ethnic or national background, skin colour, religious and philosophical diversity, neurodivergence, employment disability, health, or socioeconomic status. For questions about accessibility or support offered, we are happy to assist you at this email address.

Job details

Title
Fast and reliable techniques to quantify Fe2+/Fe3+ in multicomponent slags
Employer
Location
Oude Markt 13 Leuven, Belgium
Published
2025-05-14
Application deadline
2025-06-15 23:59 (Europe/Brussels)
2025-06-15 23:59 (CET)
Job type
PhD
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