Laboratory for Surface Physics and Catalysis

Scientific results:

On the basis of a comprehensive research of the processes of absorption and transformation of molecules on the surface of inhomogeneous nanomaterials with the use of methods of surface analysis, both in the conditions of ultra-high vacuum and in a real medium, we have determined the physico-chamical patterns of the processes of oxidation of carbon oxides, nitrogen, hydrogen on the surface of metallic and metal-oxide model catalysts. The focus was placed on the implementation of low-temperature catalytic processes of oxidation.

It has been determined that by choosing combinations of components of composite metallic systems and metal-oxide systems, as well as their structure and morphology, features of interphase interfaces, forming new surface absorption-reaction centers and the electron structure of the substrate as a whole, it is possible to implement controlled processes of oxidation of high-activity molecules at temperatures close to or lower than room temperature. The results of this work have applied significance and a high implementation potential for the development of catalysts with low-temperature action, the realization of processes of «cold burning» and designing new channels of transformation of molecules that are unattainable with the use of the existing catalysis technologies.

Implementation of research results:

• We have developed a method of increasing the activity of a heterogeneous catalyst for the oxidation of carbon monoxide (patent for invention No. 2739564 C1 of 25 December 2020. Application No. 2020118795 of 01 May 2022).
• The Laboratory has developed an adapter for the high-frequency diagnostics of scanning electron microscope (Federal Institute of Industrial Property application No. 2022112261 of 05 May 2020).
• A method has been developed for the production of gamma-Al₂O₃(111) films with nanodimensional thickness on a metallic substrate (Federal Institute of Industrial Property application submitted on 26 September 2022).

These developments can find applications in heterogeneous catalysis, micro- and nanoelectronics, nanomaterials diagnostics. 

Education and retraining of personnel:

1. 27 bachelor’s degree theses, 3 postgraduate theses and 15 master’s degree theses in our research domain have been prepared and defended.
2. On the basis of the achieved results, we have developed:

• Education courses: «Methods of surface analysis», «Auger electron spectroscopy: basics and applications», «Physico-chemical foundations and technology of thin film production».
• Textbooks: «Auger electron spectroscopy: basics and applications»/Vladikavkaz, 2021, «Adsorption and interaction of atoms and molecules on the surface of metallic systems»/Vladikavkaz, 2021. 

• A computation cluster for working with big data, NICA, ATLAS has been created and integrated with the infrastructure of the Joint Institute of Nuclear Research in Dubna.
• We have created a laboratory of absorption phenomena on the basis of the Laboratory of Surface Physics and Catalysis.

Joint Institute of Nuclear Reseearch, ITMO University, Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology (Russia), Shanghai University Of Engineering Science (China PR), Khajeh Nasir Toosi University of Technology, Payame Noor University (Iran): joint research, scientific events, published collaborative academic works, implementation of joint projects.