Head of laboratory: Kuznetsov Sergey Aleksandrovich, Dr.Sc. (Chemistry)

Tel: (81555) 79-730.

E-mail: s.kuznetsov@ksc.ru

Number of the staff: 11 (including 10 research associates, 1 doctor and 5 candidates of science)

Directions of research:

• studying of the mechanisms and kinetics of electrode processes, the nature of chelation in halide and oxohalide melts;
• chemistry and electrochemistry of rare refractory and rare-earth metals in molten salts;
• creation of materials for various functional purposes with an increased complex of physical and chemical properties for the purpose of their subsequent use in special branches of technology.

Fundamental study

It was determined the influence of the composition of the second coordination sphere in a number of alkaline and alkaline earth metal cations on the standard charge transfer rate constants for redox pairs Ti(IV)/Ti(III), Nb(V)/Nb(IV) and Cr(III)/Cr(II) in halide melts. The resulting generalization allows to make significant progress towards understanding the laws governing the mechanism and kinetics of electrode processes and to reduce the visible gap between theory and electrochemical action in melts from the level of similar works for water systems. For the first time it is shown, that the quantum chemical analysis of boundary molecular orbitals allows to give a detailed description of the mechanism of electrochemical charge transfer, to dramatically reduce the computer costs for the search of a transient state and to verify the majority of hypotheses concerning the mechanism of electrochemical electron transfer.

New technologies and materials:

• using high-temperature electrochemistry a series of composite materials has been obtained where the mechanical and electric characteristics are realized due to the steel or copper substrate, while a thin surface layer of tantalum, niobium, halfnium and other rare metals functions as a diffusion barrier or protects the composite in aggressive medium;

• advanced materials obtained by galvanoduffusion with a surface representing a rare and rare earth metal alloy with a specified composition have been obtained;

• high-temperature electrochemical synthesis provides ample opportunities for the production of compounds of rare metals-borides, carbides, silicides, nitrides, oxides and oxyfluorides; this method affords to control the valence state of the rare metal in the compound;

• rare metals of high purity and of record high purity for a number of impurities were obtained using electro-refining;

• there was developed the technology of high purity niobium coating on cryogenic gyroscope rotors;

• there were obtained by galvanostatic electrolysis the non-porous tantalum coatings on nitinol for use as implants;

• there was developed the technology of thin rare metal films deposition on non-conducting materials – glass and ceramics

Production and commercialization

Technologies developed in the Laboratory are used at Russian enterprises

• the technology of depositing  barrier and protective coatings is used at the «Novye Tekhnologii» JSC (Nefteyugansk) and the «Ekotek» JSC (Apatity);

• in company with the «New technologies» Concern «Elektropribor» JSC is developing a cryogenic gyroscope;

• obtaining mischmetall;

•  electrofining of chromium and scandium;

•  method for controlling the composition of electrolytic baths;

•  technology for obtaining electrolytic niobium in electrolysis baths for the production of zirconium;

• technology for obtaining special solders;

• putting into practice patented

  Developments was carried out in NPO «Energia», at the plants of the Irtysh Chemical and Metallurgical Plant JSC (Republic of Kazakhstan) and the Chepetsky Mechanical Plant JSC (Glazov).

Unique equipment, plants:

• a dry box (MBraun, Germany) with controlled inert atmosphere, with less than 2 ppm contents of oxygen and water;
• a "Autolab PGSTAT 20"  potentiostat (Austria);
• a Voltlab 40 electrochemical laboratory with a "VoltaMaster-4" version 6 software package;
• a Voltlab 50 electrochemical laboratory with a "VoltaMaster-4" version 6 software package;
• «Solartron 1260A» impedance analyzer;
• «VASE» ellipsometer;
• P5083, P5011 digital ac bridges;
• electrolyzers designed for electrolyze masses between 200 and 100 kg;
• prophilograph-prophilometer manufactured by Kalibr N252;
• hardness PMT-3.

Leading researchers:

• Palatnikova O.V., Ph.D. (Engineering)
• Dubrovsky А R., Ph.D. (Engineering)
• Popova А.V., Ph.D. (Chem)
• Stulov Yu.V., Ph.D. (Chem)
• Dolmatov V.S., Ph.D. (Chem)
• Domonov D.P., Ph.D. (Chem)