On July 8, 2024, on the opening day of the international industrial exhibition Innoprom-2024, Rusatom Metal Tech LLC (an integrator company of the Rosatom Fuel Division in the field of Metallurgy), the government of the Sverdlovsk Region, the Institute of High-Temperature Electrochemistry of the Ural Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences and the Ural Federal University named after the first President of Russia B.N. Yeltsin concluded agreement on scientific and technological cooperation in the field of production and application of ceramic products.
The key initiative under the agreement is to combine the efforts of business, industry, basic science and regional authorities in order to create products from domestic raw materials within the framework of the import substitution program.
The research base of the Institute of High-Temperature Electrochemistry of the Ural Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences will develop and test materials based on zirconium and hafnium to create wear-resistant (thermal barrier) coatings that protect engines and gas turbines at extreme temperatures up to 1400 ° C. Technologies will also be developed to create technical ceramics, which are in demand in production (various components and tools are made from it). Special attention is paid to the direction of medical products: technologies for the manufacture of particularly durable medical ceramics intended for the creation of dental crowns and implants will be developed.
"The development of materials based on zirconium dioxide is one of the key areas of research and applied work at the Institute of High-Temperature Electrochemistry. The prototypes of ceramics for dental applications created at the Institute are characterized by high values of density, strength and wear resistance, and are not inferior to world analogues. Our immediate plans include conducting tests in accredited laboratories, testing for biological compatibility and entering the market. We plan to launch pilot production of zirconium dioxide powder - at least 10 tons per year - by 2027," commented Yuri Zaikov, Scientific Director of the Institute of High-Temperature Electrochemistry of the Ural Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences.
In turn, Ural Federal University will participate in scientific research on the development of new products and technologies for their manufacture, preparation of initial data for the formation of R&D projects. It is especially important that the university will assist in the training of scientific and technical specialists for the implementation of projects, including in the field of production and application of ceramics.
"The new agreement will help unite the efforts of all its participants in solving complex scientific and technological problems. Ultimately, this will help strengthen Russia's technological sovereignty and make our economy even stronger and more competitive. This is an important step in developing innovations, unlocking their potential and implementing them in real production.",- said the rector of the Ural Federal University named after the first President of Russia B.N. Yeltsin, Viktor Koksharov.
The Government of the Sverdlovsk Region, for its part, will provide information and assistance in attracting state support measures and external investments for the implementation of projects, in cooperation with federal and regional authorities, and advisory and administrative support within its powers.
"Today, the task is to provide the country with the necessary industrial and consumer goods, as well as to increase its competitiveness in the global market. The efforts of the federal center and the Governor of the Sverdlovsk Region, Yevgeny Kuyvashev, are aimed at accelerated scientific and technological development. The project to create a pilot production of powder and ceramic materials based on zirconium dioxide, developed by Ural scientists to protect parts of aircraft and rocket engines, as well as gas turbines from exposure to high temperatures, can be scaled up to other industries. In addition, for all scientific organizations, this is a positive example of the effective implementation of their own scientific research in the real sector of the economy," said Alexey Shmykov, First Deputy Governor of the Sverdlovsk Region.
Rusatom Metal Tech LLC will be engaged in identifying the needs for ceramic materials from domestic raw materials, substantiating the requirements for them, promoting them and selling them on the market.
"Many years of experience, knowledge of the market and the competitive environment allows Rusatom Metal Tech to see changes in customer needs, identify new niches and development opportunities, as well as introduce innovative ideas. Currently, the Russian market has an active demand for ceramics based on zirconium and hafnium compounds. Our goals are to fully meet the country's needs for these products, which are in demand by the market," commented Andrey Andrianov, CEO of Rusatom Metal Tech LLC.
Reference
Ceramic materials are widely used in high-tech industries, including energy, aircraft engineering, medicine, radio electronics, chemical and rocket and space industries. Ceramics based on zirconium and hafnium compounds are characterized by high strength, heat resistance, wear resistance, and chemical inertia – such products manufactured by the Rosatom Fuel Division will become a Russian alternative to modern foreign analogues.
The Russian industry has a goal to ensure technological sovereignty and transition to the latest technologies as soon as possible. The state and large domestic companies direct resources to the accelerated development of the domestic research, infrastructure, scientific and technological base. The introduction of innovations and new high-tech equipment allows Rosatom and its enterprises to occupy new niches in the market, increasing the competitiveness of the nuclear industry and the entire Russian industry as a whole.
The Fuel Division of the Rosatom State Corporation (Rosatom's TVEL Fuel Company) includes enterprises for the manufacture of nuclear fuel, conversion and enrichment of uranium, production of gas centrifuges, as well as research and development organizations. As the sole supplier of nuclear fuel to Russian nuclear power plants, TVEL provides fuel to a total of 70 power reactors in 15 countries, research reactors in nine countries around the world, as well as transport reactors of the Russian nuclear fleet. Every sixth power reactor in the world is powered by TVEL fuel. Rosatom's Fuel Division is the world's largest manufacturer of enriched uranium, as well as the leader of the global stable isotope market. The Fuel Division is actively developing new businesses in the fields of chemistry, metallurgy, energy storage technologies, 3D printing, digital products, as well as decommissioning of nuclear facilities. Rosatom's industry integrators for additive technologies and energy storage systems have been created in the TVEL Fuel Company. http://www.tvel.ru
Rusatom Metallurgical Technologies LLC is a divisional integrator of the TVEL Fuel Company of Rosatom in the Metallurgy direction. The tasks of developing the metallurgical business of the Fuel Company include, in particular, expanding the customer base in Russia and abroad, developing production facilities, and creating new alliances and partnerships. Enterprises specializing in the manufacture of products made of refractory and light metals, as well as alloys based on them, are the technological partners of Rusatom Metallurgical Technologies LLC. The integrator consolidates the competencies of TVEL JSC enterprises in the field of metallurgy: ChMZ JSC, MSZ JSC, NCCP PJSC, Elemash Magnit LLC, NPO Centrotech LLC.The scientific potential, technological competencies, and qualified personnel of enterprises make it possible to carry out work on the launch of mass production of new materials and promising product ranges, as well as promptly respond to the needs of leading industries and high-tech companies.
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