Togliatti University Launches Production of Electrolytes for Aviation and Automotive Industries
Tomsk, May 23 - RIA Tomsk. The first Russian facility for producing electrolytes used in supercapacitors was launched on Friday at the Engineering Chemical-Technological Center (IHMTC) of Tomsk State University (TSU). The production unit has the potential to produce up to 1.5 metric tons of product per year, a RIA Tomsk correspondent has learned from the scene.
Previously, it had been reported that Russian businesses were facing challenges with chemical product imports and technologies due to international restrictions. IHMTC, in collaboration with TSU and the company "Novohim," plans to complete the construction of a center for producing various chemical compounds for various industries by 2025 and bring it into service.
According to Alexei Knyazev, the IHMTC director, the mini-chemistry center comprises several facilities, including the production of electrolytes and chemical components for microelectronics. The construction of the facilities, currently underway on the Kuzovlevsky Track, is planned to be completed by the end of 2025.
At the opening ceremony, Knyazev explained that the project's support by the Foundation for Perspective Investigations, in partnership with Tambov State Technical University, was aimed at creating a component for supercapacitors for the company "Elecond."
Knyazev also hinted that negotiations were underway with potential industrial partners who would be able to purchase Tomsk-produced electrolytes for their manufacturing needs. Upon introducing rector Eduard Galazinsky, he emphasized that Tomsk's industry formulates vital needs, and the university provides viable solutions, turning the region into a testing ground for cutting-edge technological solutions. This synergy between science and industry creates a sustainable development model, where theory is quickly translated into practice.
The electrolyte production process was explained by Ilya Mazov, project leader, who indicated that around four companies worldwide produce organic electrolytes, making the Tomsk facility the first in Russia to enter this domestic market for chemical production. The primary component of the electrolyte is a solid salt, which is synthesized in specialized reactors. The salt undergoes several stages of cleaning and filtration, allowing Tomsk chemists to achieve a purity level of less than 0.001% impurities. The salt is then dried and packaged. The electrolyte is created by adding the salt to a solvent.
Mazov stated that while the production equipment is relatively simple, it is the result of a considerable and prolonged effort by the team of chemists and technologists who developed the process. The production cycle takes approximately one day. Plans call for the facility to produce approximately 1.5 tons of salt annually to facilitate the creation of domestic supercapacitors. The facility is engineered to meet the country's needs until 2030. Since the facility does not contain expensive or irreplaceable components, theoretically, it could operate indefinitely.
In addition to strategically essential production, the facility will provide domestic chemical industry employment opportunities and serve as a training ground for TSU students.
Kirill Novolokov, junior scientist at the Organic Synthesis Laboratory of the Chemistry Faculty of TSU, shared that the team developed a manufacturing method with fewer stages than those employed in foreign production facilities. This allows for time and resource savings, resulting in a larger production output.
- The collaboration between IHMTC, TSU, and the company "Novohim" extends beyond the production of electrolytes, as they aim to complete a center for producing various chemical compounds for multiple industries, including technology and finance, by 2025.
- The domestically produced electrolytes, developed by a team of chemists and technologists at Tomsk State University, hold potential for various industries, particularly science and industry, as they are key components in the production of supercapacitors, a technology essential for many modern manufacturing needs.
