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Innovation Nanoindustry Cluster of Tambov State Technical University
Innovation nanoindustry cluster was formed at Tambov State Technical University (TSTU) in 2007 on the basis of the research department "Equipment and Technologies for Nanoproducts Manufacturing" headed by PhD, Professor A.G. Tkachev. The research department is known for successfully developed nanocarbon materials of the trademark "Taunit", which created a product platform for future high-tech production. The department was established to meet the great demand for researchers involved in the development and manufacture of nanoproducts, namely, "Taunit" multiwall carbon nanotubes at JSC "ZAVKOM", a leading Russian industrial engineering company specializing in the implementation of turnkey projects and production of industrial equipment. Since 1933, the company has been supplying equipment for oil and gas companies, petrochemical, food and agricultural industries to the international market. The company has its own production and research facilities.
The TSTU innovation nanoindustry cluster consists of TSTU Research and Education Center, the Institute of Problems of Chemical Physics RAS (Chernogolovka) in the field of nanotechnology, Multi-Access Center "Production and Application of Multifunctional Nanomaterials", Base Department "Nanotechnology Engineering" at JSC "ZAVKOM", LLC "NanoTechTsentr" and four small TSTU-based innovation enterprises established in compliance with the Federal Law No. 217.
The effective cooperation of the research team of the TSTU research department with scientists and experts from other research institutions resulted in the creation of nanoindustry innovation cluster. Its partners include SSC VIAM (Moscow), IPCP, Chernogolovka (the Moscow region), A.F. Joffe PTI RAS (St. Petersburg), V.L. Tal'roze IEPHF RAS (Chernogolovka, the Moscow region), V.I. Vernadsky GEOHI RAS (Moscow), National University of Science and Technology "MISiS" (Moscow), Voronezh State Technical University, Gagarin Saratov State Technical University, FSUE "TsAGI" named after N.E. Zhukovsky (Zhukovsky, the Moscow region), JSC "Print Product" (St. Petersburg), JSC "Wilma" (Novokuibyshevsk, the Samara region), FSUE "TSNIHM" (Moscow),
Innovation Cluster
The synthesis line of "Taunit" carbon nanotubes
JSC "VSKB RIKON" (Voronezh), JSC "Elecond" (Sarapul, Udmurt Republic, Russia), LLC RPE "TERMOTEKS" (Mytischi, the Moscow region), ZAO "Elite" (Kursk), ZAO "Phoenix 88" (Novosibirsk). It has close ties with international partners, such as Belarusian State University (the Sevchenko Institute of Applied Physical Problems, Minsk), the Institute of Micro Molecular Chemistry of the Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic (Prague), Universidad de Alicante (Alicante, Spain), Vision Development Co. (Tokyo, Japan) and others.
Cooperation of scientists and professionals of the TSTU innovation nanoindustry cluster resulted in the following achievements:
- physical and chemical laws that affect knock characteristic of gasoline compounded by additives containing carbon nanotubes have been formulated, compositions of mixed nanomodified anti-knock additives that improve knock resistance of gasoline have been developed;
- activation techniques for carbon nanomaterials, methods and modes of filling polymer matrices of structural materials with desired physical-chemical properties have been developed;
- technologies for modifying inorganic high-temperature fiber materials with carbon nanotubes for filter materials to provide the desired efficiency of fine gas cleaning in different operating conditions as well as polymer membranes with high separation efficiency (more than 2-fold) owing to the oriented organization of a highly porous structure of carbon nanotubes on the active membrane surface, have been designed;
- the technique for producing an oxidized lowlayer graphene in the form of flakes with a thickness of about 2 nm and improved compatibility with polar fluids, such as epoxy resin has been proposed, herewith the oxidized multilayer graphene is produced in the form of an aqueous paste or organic solvents with dry substance content of2-10%;
- lubricants with low concentrations of nanotubes and modified graphene (less than 0.5 %), having high anti-wear properties, have been developed.
Scientific and technical achievements of the TSTU innovation nanoindustry cluster have been repeatedly demonstrated at various exhibitions, symposia and congresses and have gained recognition both in Russia and abroad. The awards include:
- Diploma and gold medal for designing the reactor for carbon nanostructured materials synthesis at the VIII Moscow International Salon of Innovations and Investments (2008, Moscow, Russia Exhibition Centre);
- Medal of the 10th Jubilee International Forum "High technologies of the XXI century", the winner of the contest "Innovative technologies for the real sector of economy and social sphere" for the competition project "Technology and equipment for industrial production of "Taunit" carbon nanostructured material" (April 24, 2009, Moscow, Expocentre);
- First-Degree Diploma (the gold medal) at St. Petersburg Technical Fair for the development of industrial production of multi-layer carbon nanotubes "Taunit". (March 12, 2010, St. Petersburg);
- Second-Degree Diploma (the silver medal) at St. Petersburg Technical Fair for the development of nanomodifying tableted additives for cement concrete on the basis of nanostructured materials "Taunit" (March 12, 2010, St. Petersburg);
- Diploma (the bronze medal) for the development of the synthesis reactor for carbon nanofibrous structures of catalytic pyrolysis (October 2, 2010, Taipei City);
- Certificate of Participation in the 11th International Exhibition and Conference on Nanotechnology "Nanotech 2012" (17 February 2012, Tokyo Big Sight, Japan);
- Diploma of Participation (the gold medal) at 14th International Forum and Exhibition "High Technologies of XXI Century" (April 26, 2013, Moscow) for the development of the combustion modifier "TAG-SDS (1)";
- three medals at International Fair of Innovations SIIF 2014 (December 1, 2014, Seoul, Republic of Korea), namely:
- the gold medal for the development of multifunctional additive to motor gasoline and fuel composition based on it;
- the silver medal for the development of carbon nanomaterials for the synthesis reactor;
- the bronze medal for the development of carbon nanomaterials functionalization method.
In 2014, by the decision of the Russian Federation of April 9, 2010 № 218, TSTU became the prime contractor of the integrated project on development of high-tech products. The project was financially supported by the RF Government to promote cooperation of Russian institutions of higher education (TSTU) and the real economy organizations (JSC "ZAVKOM" - winner of the contest). The project "Production of multifunctional carbon nanomaterials and masterbatches for advanced polymers and composites of the the new generation". The project was implemented in 2014-2016 and subsidized by the government in the amount of 160,000,000 rubles and co-financed by the company in the same amount. Co-partners of the project were Research Technological University "MISiS" and Federal State Budget Institution of Science "Physical-Technical Institute named after A.F. Ioffe" of RAS and Elionics Laboratory of Research Institution "Institute of Applied Physical Problems named after A.N. Sevchenko" of Belarusian State University. Multi-Access Centers "Materials and Metallurgy" (MISiS), "Production and Use of multifunctional nanomaterials" (TSTU), "Nanotechnology and Nanomaterials" (Derzhavin TSU) were involved in the project.
The multiwall carbon nanotubes synthesis reactors developed at the research department are widely used both in Russia and abroad. "Taunit" carbon nanotubes are commercially produced at OOO "NanoTechTsentr". Optimal research and development decisions resulted in re-design of equipment for carbon nanotubes synthesis; three reactors have been combined into a single line; gas and catalyst supply system has been re-designed; productivity of equipment has increased by 6.5 times, and the costs have been reduced by more than 6 times. The technology of producing "Taunit" carbon nanotubes has been optimized, resulting in improved product quality (owing to stabilization of the process parameters), the environmental safety has been improved and the reserve maintenance cycles of primary equipment have increased.
The obtained materials were tested in the Research and Education Center "Nanotechnology and Nanomaterials" (Derzhavin TSU), which works closely with the department on a wide range of issues. The Nova analyzer 1200e (Quantchrome, USA) was used to measure the specific surface area and the pore size of "Taunit" nanomaterials, the study of the nanostructure morphology was conducted using the Merlin high resolution electron scanning microscope (Carl Zeis, Germany), the quality of carbon nanotubes was assessed with the INTEGRA micro-probe Raman spectrometer (NT-MTD, Russia).
The experimental studies of multi-walled carbon nanotubes on Raman spectrometer with a confocal microscope (DXR Raman Microscope)
A.G. Tkachev (on the left) introduces the new "Taunit" nanoproducts to the Vice Premier of the Russian Government Olga Golodets (on the right) and the Russian Deputy Minister of Education and Science V.S. Kaganov (in the center)
TSTU and the Ministry of Education and Science of the Russian Federation signed an agreement on subsidizing the project "Development of technical and technological solutions of multilayer graphene production for electrode nanomaterial energy storage devices" for 75 million roubles as part of the Federal Target Program "Research and development on priority directions of science and technology in Russia for 2014-2020" (GK 14.577.21.0091, deadline for the 2014-2016).
In November 2015, with the financial support of the Russian Federal Property Foundation, the international scientific-practical conference "Graphene and Related Structures: Synthesis, Production and Application" was hosted at TSTU; it was attended by 150 people, including participants from Spain, Japan, Chile, Belarus, and Kazakhstan.
Head of Department "Equipment and Technologies of Nanoproducts Manufacturing", CEO, OOO "NanoTechTsentr", Doctor of Technical Sciences,
Prof. A.G. Tkachev
