Substance Answers: Synchrotron research will help create the materials of the future

Megascience-class particle accelerators make it possible to study and design materials at the atomic level. Such developments lay the foundation for the development of nature-like technologies, said Mikhail Kovalchuk, President of the Kurchatov Institute Research Center. These issues were discussed at the forum "Research using synchrotron radiation, neutrons and electrons". During the four days of the forum, scientists shared their experience of how mega-installations help create batteries for phones, smart reagents for underground oil refining, turbine blades for aircraft engines and components for advanced microelectronics.

Why do I need megascience class installations?

The results of the III Kurchatov Forum "Research using synchrotron radiation, neutrons and electrons" were summed up in Moscow. It was held from October 21 to October 24 at the Alexandrov House of Scientists. The event took place within the framework of the Nature-Like Technologies Forum, organized by the Kurchatov Institute National Research Center.

— Our country is implementing a large—scale program to create and modernize advanced scientific installations of the megascience class - heavy-duty and expensive complexes that allow studying and designing materials at the atomic level. These are universal tools that scientists use to implement a wide range of highly sensitive research methods. Such installations are used to study the microstructure of materials, living tissues, medicinal molecules and other substances," Mikhail Kovalchuk, President of the Kurchatov Institute Research Center, said at the plenary session.

According to him, Russian specialists occupy leading positions in the world in the development of such complexes. It is largely thanks to them that our country is achieving strategic superiority in key high-tech areas.

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— Synchrotron and neutron research is an important tool for the formation of the scientific and technological basis of bioeconomics. These methods allow you to see in detail how the systems and processes of the surrounding world work. In turn, understanding the mechanisms of living systems opens a direct path to the creation of nature—like technologies," said Nikita Marchenkov, Deputy Project Director at the Kurchatov Institute Megascience Research Center.

He explained that today the institute has a number of mega-installations. Among them, KISI-Kurchatov is the only specialized source of synchrotron radiation in the former Soviet Union, as well as the world's most powerful research reactor complex, PIK, which generates neutrons. It is located in Gatchina on the territory of the St. Petersburg Institute of Nuclear Physics named after B.P. Konstantinov, which is part of the Kurchatov Institute.

How scientists apply synchrotron and neutron research

The Kurchatov Forum is held annually. This platform allows you to share experiences and combine the efforts of the country's leading scientists who conduct research using mega-science installations. At the forum, the work of specialists was divided into ten thematic sections.

In particular, the scientists discussed the prospects of using X-ray radiation to study materials with useful properties and the specifics of structural studies of biological systems. The issues of ecology and chemistry of radioactive substances were highlighted in a separate section. The researchers paid much attention to discussing the possibilities of predicting the structure and behavior of substances using computational methods. In addition, the participants reviewed the hardware and methodological aspects of synchrotron and neutron experiments.

— Among the developments made possible by our installations, we can mention new metal-ceramic materials that are used to manufacture turbine blades of aircraft engines. These are some of the most loaded parts in modern technology. They are operated in conditions of colossal temperatures, aggressive chemical environment, high speeds and vibrations. Synchrotron research has helped to study the internal structure of the material and achieve optimal parameters. These materials are already being introduced into the production of aircraft engines," Nikita Marchenkov shared.

In addition, mega-installations help to create catalysts for the chemical industry, "smart" reagents for underground oil refining, components for advanced microelectronics and other high-tech developments, he added.

— Our group researches materials for metal-ion batteries. These are systems that use alkali metal ions, such as lithium or sodium, to store energy. During charging and discharging, structural changes occur in the material, which directly affect the properties of the battery. If we understand how these transformations occur and what their mechanism is, we can influence and improve the final characteristics of devices. It is precisely synchrotron methods that make it possible to study these processes with high accuracy," Stanislav Fedorov, associate professor at the Center for Energy Technologies at the Skolkovo Institute of Science and Technology, told Izvestia.

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According to him, the group's efforts are aimed at developing both lithium-ion batteries for new portable electronics and large-scale sodium-ion systems. Such devices can serve as devices for reserving energy in power transmission lines. They will allow to create energy reserves during minimum electricity consumption and increase their consumption during peaks, which will reduce losses and reduce the cost of electricity.

In addition to the work of the sections, the school of young scientists "Modern approaches to the creation of detector materials" was held at the forum. The school's work was aimed at uniting the efforts of scientific youth to find ways to create domestic technologies for detecting X-rays and neutrons.

The forum ended with a discussion of the Russian megascience infrastructure development program. By decree of the President of the Russian Federation and under the scientific supervision of the Kurchatov Institute Research Center, one of the world's best networks of mega-installations is being created in different regions of Russia. This unique research infrastructure is designed to become the basis for the development of national security and technological independence of our country for decades to come.