Waleed Mohammed receives Springorum Commemorative Coin

RWTH Aachen honors outstanding master thesis

RWTH Aachen University has honored Waleed Mohammed with the prestigious Springorum Commemorative Coin for his exceptional academic performance during his master's studies in metallurgical engineering. The coin is awarded annually to the top 10% of graduates from each faculty. Mohammed’s master thesis focused on understanding the impurity tolerance of aluminum-silicon alloys made from scrap, specifically addressing degradation caused by iron impurities. These alloys are commonly used in automotive components like engines and transmission cases, as well as in motors housings and battery enclosures for electric vehicles due to their high strength-to-weight ratio, good wear resistance, and excellent thermal conductivity.

"Completing my master’s at RWTH Aachen was an incredibly rewarding experience, and I am delighted that my work has been recognized with this award," says Mohammed. He further elaborated on his research, stating: "Iron impurities can negatively affect the mechanical properties of these alloys, and manganese is often added to counteract this. However, our research found that some iron levels have minimal impact, while manganese doesn’t always improve the situation. We aimed to provide a holistic understanding of how the composition of recycled aluminum-silicon alloys and the processing conditions can influence the microstructure and properties of the alloy." Mohammed's work could reduce the need for manganese and open up new possibilities for designing sustainable aluminum-silicon alloys from scrap with less compromised performance.

The award is presented annually by the association pro RWTH and the University during RWTH’s Graduation Celebration. Since 2006, the Springorum Commemorative Coin, named after Dr.-Ing. E.h. Friedrich Springorum, cofounder of the Association of Friends of RWTH Aachen, has been awarded in the form of an honorary pin.