RISE is the Swedish Research Institute and innovation partner. In international collaboration with industry, academia and the public sector, we ensure the competitiveness of the business community and contribute to a sustainable society. Our 2,800 employees support and promote all manner of innovative processes. RISE is an independent, state-owned research institute that offers unique expertise and about 100 testbeds and demonstration facilities, instrumental in future-proofing technologies, products and services.

Background
Barrier coated paper and board provide an alternative to plastic films in food packaging to create a barrier against e.g. oxygen and moisture. The main arguments for replacing plastic packaging with coated fiber substrates are that paper and cardboard are recycled to a greater extent and contribute less to the use of fossil-based components and microplastics compared to plastic packaging. However, there is a lack of knowledge about how these barrier coatings contribute to water quality and the release of microplastics during e.g. the recirculation process in a recycling mill.

RISE has been working with recyclability tests for some time and this methodology will form the basis for how the material is mechanically processed before the process water is taken out for further processing and analysis. The thesis project will build knowledge about how the process water is best treated and processed before analysis of microplastics can be performed. The work is an important part in the holistic perspective around fiber-based packaging materials and their recyclability.

Aim
The aim of the thesis project is to develop a preparation method for the reprocessing of microplastics in diluted systems. This includes finding strategies to prepare samples so that the amount of microplastics becomes detectable in e.g. raman spectroscopy and FTIR. The work also includes attempts to fractionate these microplastics in different orders of magnitude and size analysis.

What skills will you develop during the degree project
Practical and theoretical knowledge of fiber-based packaging materials and how they are recycled. Knowledge of how microplastics are formed and accumulate in water and how these should be identified. Experience from working in a research environment focused on biomaterials and industrial research in the field of packaging.

Who are you?
We are looking for a master's student in chemical engineering or equivalent who can complete their degree project in the spring of 2026. It is important that you are interested in practical laboratory work and that you can link laboratory results to theoretical reasoning.

Activities:
The work includes both practical and theoretical elements and will be carried out at RISE laboratories in Stockholm. The work will include the following activities:

• Lab Scale Packaging reslushing
• Performing different filtration methods on process water from the reslushing process
• Analyses for size distribution of particles in water (DLS/Matersizer) and composition (Raman/FTIR).

Terms
Scope: 30 ECTS (20 weeks, full-time).
Location: RISE, Stockholm Drottning Kristinas väg 61.
Start: According to agreement, at latest Jan 22
Compensation: 39 990 SEK after thesis has been approved
Supervisors: Pernilla Karlsson, RISE pernilla.karlsson@ri.se, Anna Sjöstedt, RISE, anna.sjostedt@ri.se , Peter Rättö, RISE, peter.ratto@ri.se
Application deadline: November 17, Applications will be processed on an ongoing basis.

Welcome with your application!