The plenary session of the Future Technologies Forum
Vladimir Putin: Thank you, thank you. Dear colleagues, friends! Ladies and gentlemen! I am glad to welcome the participants of the third international Forum of Future Technologies. According to the established tradition, here, on this site, the cutting edge of scientific research is outlined, ideas are discussed that are still crystallizing, weighed in laboratories and research centers, but very soon, I have no doubt about it, will transform and will transform the world. The topic of this forum is chemistry and the use of new materials. These are truly extensive, as they often say today, cross-cutting directions; they largely determine the movement of humanity forward, the implementation of the most daring plans of engineers and designers.
Now rapid changes are taking place in these areas, which, in turn, create the ground and “spur” further, even more revolutionary discoveries - in healthcare, industry, microelectronics, in the creation of unmanned systems, in all areas without exception. It is absolutely obvious: in order to be among the leaders in key areas of scientific and technological development, and this is precisely the task we set for ourselves, we need to achieve, among other things, excellence in the field of chemistry and in the creation of new materials. This means that it is necessary to offer competitive solutions and products in both price and quality, and most importantly, to have our own, unique technological keys that will allow us to produce and export to global markets not primary raw materials, but products of the highest standards. I would especially like to note that in our history we have experience in solving problems of the same scale and significance. In the 60-70s of the 20th century, largely thanks to the efforts of Leonid Kostandov - few people know this name today, few people remember, but among specialists they will probably immediately react to this surname and first name. He was
the Minister of Chemical Industry of the USSR. It was then that hundreds, indeed hundreds, of advanced factories were launched , specialized scientific institutes and design bureaus were created. In terms of total production volume, the Soviet chemical industry ranked first in Europe and second in the world. However, this heritage was largely squandered and squandered. I say this with great regret.
It’s a shame, frankly, a shame in front of those people who put their whole lives into creating the chemical industry of the Soviet Union, worked for future generations, lived in offices, and moved their offices “on wheels.” They lived in railway trailers, moving throughout the vast territory of the Soviet Union - from one republic to another. They were malnourished, lacked sleep, and created the chemical industry of the USSR. Unfortunately, after the collapse of the Soviet Union, the most important enterprises were stopped and sometimes simply destroyed ; their equipment was taken out and cut into scrap metal. Along with the degradation of our own chemical industry, we also fell into strong external dependence, we lost a significant part of our industrial and technological sovereignty, therefore, from our negative experience, we understand what systemic problems lead to vulnerability in the field of chemistry. We had to literally reassemble many technological and production chains and build new enterprises in order to independently produce highly processed products. Thus,
in the Tyumen region, new capacities were built on the basis of the Tobolsk petrochemical plant, and in 2019 the modern petrochemical plant ZapSibNeftekhim was launched. The construction of the Amur Gas Chemical Complex and other enterprises is underway, which will make it possible in the coming years to significantly increase the production of polymers - a key product of oil and gas chemistry. I will also add that after cleaning and reclamation of the territory in the city of Usolye-Sibirskoye in the Irkutsk region, we plan to create a modern federal center for small- and medium-tonnage chemistry here . For people not directly involved, far from the specifics of the industry, I will say that we are talking about the production in small but necessary volumes of special chemical products - resins, solvents, and so on - without which the development of microelectronics, pharmaceuticals, and many other critical areas is simply impossible. Catalysts are also a cross-cutting area. This is the basis of the fundamentals of chemistry - substances
that determine the rate of reaction. It is important to ensure not only the development, but also subsequent testing, pilot production, and then widespread industrial use and scaling of domestic solutions. To support such projects, a special scientific and technological cluster is already being formed on the basis of the famous Boreskov Institute of Catalysis in Novosibirsk. This is a serious step in the development of the entire Siberian scientific agglomeration as one of the key centers for creating future technologies in the field of chemistry. Dear colleagues! To meet the dynamics of progress and global competition, we need to multiply the potential of the domestic chemical industry and related industries, build a full cycle from the search and development of new deposits, including rare and rare earth metals, mining and deep processing of minerals, to the production of high-tech products with high added value.
There's a lot to work on here. We, in principle, have everything we need. You just need to do this purposefully, create conditions for business, invest in infrastructure. We still don't mine lithium. What would it be like without him? This is obvious to specialists. And we can do this. And they could have done this 10–15 years ago. We must solve these problems at a fundamentally new technological level, using achievements in the field of artificial intelligence and robotics, and other tools aimed at increasing labor productivity, including in science. Our serious advantage is also due to the accessible energy of one of the world's largest networks of nuclear, hydro and thermal power plants, which allows us to build production facilities in many regions of our country. Of course, this must be done in compliance with
the strictest environmental standards, using modern environmentally friendly solutions. The areas I’m talking about are complex and of paramount importance. Therefore, a new national technology leadership project was launched this year in the field of new materials and chemistry. It is planned to allocate almost 170 billion rubles from the federal budget alone for its implementation from 2025 to 2030
. At the same time, the amount of investment by companies in the real sector of the economy can amount to about one trillion rubles. I think this is a completely, absolutely realistic thing. I sometimes meet with managers and owners of companies, they have very ambitious, good plans. And I like this attitude – people’s eyes light up. Great, we will support and further set up mechanisms to support private investment, including in the research and development sector. I have said more than once that external problems and sanctions, despite all the challenges and difficulties, played an important stimulating role for us. Russian companies are now increasingly turning to our scientists and receiving such assistance from them. Moreover, domestic solutions often turn out to be more effective than foreign analogues.
To provide a modern legal basis for cooperation between researchers and qualified customers, the Law “On Technology Policy” was adopted and comes into force this summer. I have already spoken and set the following goal: together with business, we need to increase funding for science to two percent of GDP. It is extremely important to direct all additional resources to support promising, breakthrough areas of scientific and technological development. Thus, in the field of chemistry and new materials, it would be short-sighted and mistaken to be content only with simply replacing technological processes that have already been mastered somewhere else, abroad. What is important, of course, is that you need to keep everything in mind, use all the achievements, but you need to develop your platforms. My colleagues promised me that
now at a specialized exhibition they will show how we are going, where we are moving. As we agreed last December at the Council for Strategic Development and National Projects, it is necessary to formulate plans in key areas that will ensure the country’s superiority, including in the field of chemistry and modern materials science. It is important to identify global, leading scientific organizations that will take responsibility for conducting fundamental research, companies that will implement the technologies of the future, and build personnel training in the field of chemistry for the tasks of technological leadership, and at all levels of education - from schools to universities. Unfortunately, the number of chemistry teachers in our schools is decreasing. The number of children
who choose chemistry as their main basic discipline is declining. The percentage of chemistry teachers over 65 years of age is increasing. In universities we need to look at what is happening most carefully. I ask the Russian Academy of Sciences, representatives of business, and the professional, scientific, and educational communities to be involved as much as possible in the formation of such plans .
It is important that we continue to act harmoniously, like real partners, and understand responsibility for results. The implementation of all national projects of technological leadership, our plans for the Far East, Siberia, the Arctic - for the development of all regions of the Russian Federation and, of course, solving security problems and improving the quality of life of people depends on them. There is nothing to say about security; I have already publicly spoken out and talked about it. The whole world is talking about Oreshnik. And what materials! The temperature on the combat heads corresponds to the temperature on the surface of the sun. We understand: since the 80s, systems
for gliding flying units have been developed. We called it "Vanguard". The temperatures there are comparable, slightly lower than on the surface of the sun. At the end of the 80s, people started thinking about making such systems. They couldn't because there were no materials. That was the problem. It flies and melts like a popsicle, and the control signal passes through. These are the results of work on new materials.
Just as our joint agreements on MS-21-300 were completely unreasonably closed to us at one time. Thanks to Rosatom specialists, they made materials for both the wing and the fuselage. Yes, the project shifted a little to the right, but we did everything with our own hands, with our own heads, and everything went well. We need to work equally actively and creatively together in all other areas. I ask the Government to think about how we can regulate the interaction between our enterprises and the enterprises of our competitors in order to provide national producers with certain advantages. Yes, within the framework of the WTO, but nevertheless, certain difficulties have been created for us, and we can accordingly regulate the return to our market of those who want to return. By creating and leaving benefits for our own producers. This must be done subtly, carefully, but it must be done. Denis Valentinovich [Manturov] sits and nods his head. We talked
to him about this . I have already spoken about this: just like in the field of agriculture, when agricultural producers begged us: “Just don’t let anyone into our market, we will do everything ourselves.” Well, except for bananas, of course. But they also started growing bananas. A little expensive, true, but no need. And in the field of industrial production, we absolutely need to think through everything and
treat it most carefully, so as not to lose the potential that was created by our ill-wishers who imposed sanctions against us. I have already said this, a few more examples: in order to develop machine and aircraft construction, the rocket and space program, we will need composite materials and alloys with unique characteristics, I just spoke about this. New plant protection products - from another area - to solve food security problems. Durable, long-term, safe energy transmission and storage systems - for drones, for new types of transport. More durable and energy efficient materials for the construction industry to adapt to climate change. New compounds, biomaterials and prototypes of human organs and tissues - for the implementation of advanced treatment methods in healthcare.
I repeat, I only named certain areas. At the same time, the lack of results even for one of them, this is what I want to especially emphasize, as they say, like a thread, all other projects will be pulled down. I gave the example of the MS-21-300; we did not have materials for the wing and fuselage. Well, the whole project stopped, and in other areas everything also slowed down. We just saw it all with our own eyes. This is our experience over the past two to three years.
In all key technological areas, we need to build comprehensive coordination and unconditional interconnection of all our steps and activities. I suggest provide a supra-departmental mechanism for managing technological development and ask the Government to propose appropriate structural solutions. Dear colleagues! All our plans to create solutions for the future in the field of chemistry and materials science are based on the enormous potential of our scientific and engineering schools. Their traditions were laid back in the Russian
Empire, I was talking about the Soviet Union, but the traditions were laid back in the 19th and early 20th centuries, and developed, as I just said, in Soviet times. I think that Mikhail Valentinovich Kovalchuk, who just met me, we exchanged a few words with him, and other participants in the plenary session will definitely talk about how at the present stage the achievements in the field of chemistry and materials science obtained in the framework of space and nuclear projects, as well as in the course of research in the field of energy of future thermonuclear fusion, headed by Evgeniy Pavlovich Velikhov, are multiplying. I consider it necessary to dedicate a new competition of the Russian Science Foundation for leading scientists to the memory of this outstanding thinker and son of the Fatherland . The volume of the grant for five years will range from 250 million rubles to half a billion rubles. The largest domestic companies will co-finance these grants and act as direct customers of breakthrough technologies.
As for the areas of support, they will change annually. This year, I propose to announce such a competition for the creation of unique materials and products from them for autonomous energy sources, power and energy installations, as well as for devices and information processing systems, including those necessary for the development of artificial intelligence. It is quite obvious that this technology is already determining the development of all areas and is producing a real revolution, including in chemistry and materials science. Due to the introduction of artificial intelligence and computer modeling in our country, it is necessary - and this is quite realistic - to reduce the development and implementation of new materials to 5-10 years, and in the future to 2-3 years.
To do this, researchers and engineers must have the necessary array of data on existing materials and their components. I propose to build mechanisms for legal regulation of their circulation, including collection, storage, processing, transfer and use. I will add that colossal amounts of data and advanced knowledge about new elements and materials will be obtained in the course of research at domestic megascience-class facilities. They make it possible to study matter - experts know - literally at the atomic level. I would like to especially emphasize: some complexes that are located in our country, such as NIKA in Dubna or PIK in the Leningrad region, are unique and have no analogues. In the near future we plan to carry out the technological commissioning of another powerful installation - SKIF. It will significantly expand the functionality and range of capabilities of the Russian
research infrastructure. We certainly invite foreign scientists to work together. I was in the Leningrad region several years ago, specialists from Europe were already working there, and from those countries where the use of nuclear energy was being phased out, and, accordingly, research in these areas was gradually being phased out; they worked with us with pleasure. We hope this practice continues. Our doors are open, we always welcome our friends and colleagues.
Let me emphasize: we understand well that equal and open international exchange in the scientific field is one of the main factors in strengthening a multipolar world. We will continue to promote the unification of efforts of researchers and engineers from the countries of the East and South to solve large-scale experimental, theoretical and, of course, practical problems. Thus, the BRICS association is actually already a platform for socio-economic and technological development at the global level. At the same time, we are not going to erect barriers to partnership with Western scientists. We hope that Western politicians will understand the harmfulness of the practice of limiting cooperation in the field of science and education. It is important that global development be fair and balanced, therefore it is necessary to achieve further industrial and technological progress, while reducing the negative impact on the environment, preserving the fragile ecosystem of the planet, its flora and fauna. Certainly,
We will proceed from the need to use precisely such technologies. It is no coincidence that the focus of special attention now is on advanced solutions in the field of genetics, bio- and nature-like technologies, as well as the creation of materials that reproduce the processes of living systems. In general, we are talking about the formation of a fundamentally new phenomenon, a new reality – the bioeconomy. This
topic is the most important, key from the point of view of the quality of global growth. I propose that the next Forum of Future Technologies be devoted to bioeconomy issues. If, of course, colleagues find it possible and interesting. We invite representatives of science, education, and business from all over the world to participate in it . We are open for cooperation. Dear friends! I am sincerely glad that a frank, deep discussion among scientists, engineers, and business representatives is taking place in our country. This is evidence of Russia's openness and, of course, our
special attention to issues of scientific and technological development. Perhaps not a single expert will undertake to predict new solutions that will be discovered or invented even in the near future. But there is something that we can definitely do - this is to ensure our effective support for key technological areas, especially important and useful for citizens, for society, for economic growth. It is in this spirit that we intend to work. I am sure that your discussions at today’s events are taking place in this vein. Thank you for your attention.
M. Kovalchuk: Good afternoon! Dear Vladimir Vladimirovich! Dear colleagues! Thank you very much for this presentation. Vladimir Vladimirovich, I would first like to thank you for taking the time to take part in our Forum on a schedule that is understandable to everyone. The very fact of your participation speaks volumes
about how our country views science and technology and this entire area in general. And today’s Forum, of course, has a completely different level. Thanks a lot. Before I give the floor to the first speaker, I wanted to say just a few words.
You know, everything in life is material. When Vladimir Vladimirovich announced the start of a special military operation, in fact, if we put everything else aside, there was only one important fact - it was a reminder to the world that it is material, and we are an essential part of this material world. You know, any human thought comes to society, to a person, only through the creation of material. If an artist has an image of a painting in his head, he needs an easel, paints and a canvas
to depict it. A composer needs a musical instrument, sheet music, and so on. That is, through the creation of material, any human thought becomes accessible to society. In fact, when we are asked about the priorities for the development of science and technology, there are always two of them: the first is matter and the second is the energy that is needed to make this matter. Once we had a conversation with Vladimir Vladimirovich, and he told me: “There is a third priority.” You said: “Intellect, soul.” This is the intellect and thought of a person. And it seems to me
that in our country there is more than enough of all this: intelligence, energy, and therefore matter. If we had not been able to create matter, materials with given properties, we would never have implemented the atomic-space project. This is a demonstration of our capabilities. Before the speech of the representative of the Kurchatov Institute, Vladislav Valerievich Antipov, I want to say one thing. What happened? We are talking about nature-like technologies; you mentioned them in the report. After all, you see, we think and move, we talk about nature’s similarity,
and the very development of life actually led to the creation of these technologies. Today's technological world is structured very simply: we cut, we go from top to bottom. We cut off the excess: the tree was cut down, the branches were chopped off, the log was cut off - timber, then parquet and so on. They made an ingot, put it on the machine, and cut off all the excess. With today's production method, up to 80 percent of energy and matter goes to waste, essentially polluting the environment. And nature is very economical, it grows a huge tree from grain - eucalyptus or baobab, and from a cell - a living creature. So additive technologies are a clear example of how the very technological logic of development led us to the creation of a reproduction of a nature-like principle. We are fine powder
we crystallize or fuse using a laser or electron beam, creating unique things. And in this sense, this is the key challenge of our time - the creation of additive technologies similar to nature. And the second thing. When I was a student or starting a scientific work, 90 percent of the articles were related to semiconductors, and today 90 percent are related to living life. And therefore, the creation of biosimilar, biocompatible materials is the second key direction. Vladislav Valerievich, please tell us about the current state, achievements and prospects of the world’s largest, dare I say, materials science center based at the Kurchatov Institute. V. Antipov: Dear Vladimir Vladimirovich!
Dear colleagues! At all times, the implementation of the most daring thoughts of designers has become possible through the creation of materials with the required characteristics. Vivid examples are Soviet nuclear and space projects, within the framework of which a huge amount of materials were created. Until now, no one in the world has been able to repeat the flight of the Buran orbital spacecraft, for which a unique thermal protection was developed, which consisted of tiles based on quartz fibers. It is noteworthy that 90 percent of this tile consisted of air, since it is a good heat insulator. These achievements made it possible to ensure the performance of tiles up to temperatures of 1250 degrees Celsius. Today, the Russian Federation is a leader in the field of uranium enrichment using the centrifugal method, but few people imagine that in a gas centrifuge the rotor rotates at a speed of 1500 revolutions per second. And it should work for 30
years without stopping. This became possible due to the development of a special aluminum alloy. It is a lightweight alloy, but has the strength of steel. Today, the Strategy for Scientific and Technological Development of the Russian Federation defines priorities for the next decade. This includes the development of nature-like technologies, this is the exploration of space, the exploration of the Arctic, this is the creation of clean energy. And of course,
such problems must be solved by developing new materials and new technologies. As Mikhail Valentinovich noted, the Kurchatov Institute today, as the leader in materials science in Russia, is engaged in these developments. Of course, today humanity is entering the era of biomaterials. What seemed like science fiction yesterday is already being used in medicine today. Biosimilar
materials have been developed at the Kurchatov Institute, and unique products are made from these materials for regenerative medicine - an artificial trachea, a heart frame, and much, much more. Of course, today it is extremely important to develop materials for engine construction. Only a few countries in the world have a full cycle of creating gas turbine engines, and the most loaded element of the engine is the turbine blade. An appropriate scientific and technical basis has been created, which today makes it possible to obtain monocrystalline blades. These are blades that actually consist of a single crystal, and due to the internal cooling system, due to special heat-protective coatings, such a blade operates at a gas temperature in front of the turbine of up to 1950 Kelvin. These are the blades used in our modern Russian PD-14 engine for the MS-21 aircraft.
I would also like to note that the engine nacelle of this engine consists of 60 percent carbon fiberglass. These materials were developed by young scientists of the Kurchatov Institute, and the development was awarded a prize from the Government of the Russian Federation. Applications have been found for additive technologies of the PD-14 engine. These
technologies are used to produce swirlers for the front combustion chamber device. It should be noted that the 21st century has become a century of rapid development of additive technologies, since they make it possible to create products with a bionic design through layer-by-layer build-up. This cannot be achieved with traditional technologies. The Kurchatov Institute has created a closed additive manufacturing cycle,
which has already made it possible to produce serial parts for various industries: transport engineering, the fuel and energy complex, and medicine. The effectiveness of additive technologies can be demonstrated on one simple part - a heat exchanger for the RD-191 rocket engine. It took six months to manufacture using traditional technologies – these are long-term soldering technologies. It weighed 70 kilograms and was equipped with 23 components. Additive technologies have made it possible to implement a technology in which this heat exchanger can be created in virtually one cycle. It weighs 19 kilograms, and the time is actually reduced by 20 times. This is how effective additive technologies provide.
Today, more than 10 thousand additive manufacturing parts are produced annually at the pilot production of the Kurchatov Institute. It must be said that the Kurchatov Institute is responsible for the scientific component: starting materials and synthesis technologies are being developed, technology transfer is carried out. Further implementation and industrial development of these technologies, of course, would be advisable to carry out with the participation of the state corporation Rosatom, which has powerful potential in this regard. Thus, the Kurchatov Institute will generate all the necessary scientific and technical resources, and the state corporation Rosatom will ensure their accelerated implementation into production. Turning to the strategic task of developing the Arctic, it must be said that here, too, one cannot do without materials with special properties, since such materials must work in Arctic conditions. And we understand that these are low temperatures, high humidity, and many other things.
At the Kurchatov Institute, cold-resistant steels have been created, which today make it possible to make the hulls of icebreakers. These icebreakers overcome ice more than four meters thick. Sealing materials, paint and varnish materials, and functional materials have been developed that do not lose their elasticity and operate at temperatures down to minus 60 degrees Celsius. In general, the scientific and technical basis created allows Russia today to be the only power that has a nuclear icebreaker fleet. This groundwork opens up opportunities for
the future in terms of creating Arctic underwater gas carriers. In conclusion, I would like to say, Vladimir Vladimirovich already noted in his speech, that an inter-industry unified digital database of material properties is urgently needed in the Russian Federation. Of course, this will significantly reduce the time needed to create materials, since it will be possible to simulate both the structure and properties of the material at the early stages of development . This will certainly make it possible
to unify materials for various industries, as well as to develop approaches that will allow organizing the admission of new generation materials for complex technical systems. Thank you for your attention. Vladimir Putin: I want to thank Kurchatnik for what is being done. You named only part of the work that is being carried out at Kurchatnik, but there is much more. Quite unexpectedly, “Kurchatnik”
took up genetics – and is working effectively in this area, as far as I know. A colleague just said - I think this information simply slipped through the minds of many: he spoke about the possibility of creating underwater gas carriers. You know, when Mikhail Valentinovich [Kovalchuk] mentioned this to me a couple of years ago, I said: okay, don’t talk, we’ll transport gas on submarines, or what? Nothing of the kind! Gazprom and NOVATEK believe that this is quite possible and will be profitable. It will be effective and safe. After all, liquefied gas, can you imagine, such huge tanks of liquefied gas, they are, in general, quite dangerous. God forbid
what happens, some kind of explosion. But under water - no, under water everything is different. And it turns out it's profitable. Marvelous. But this is the future, of course, and quite feasible. So the speed of decision-making and the speed of manufacturing the necessary equipment also increases sharply with the use of modern technologies, including additive technologies and the use of artificial intelligence. Impressive for sure. And the Arctic – we are the undisputed leaders there. Many countries
now want to cooperate with us on the production of a nuclear icebreaker fleet, but this, of course, is impossible without modern materials. Engine manufacturing. Here, of course, we have something to work on. There is still a lot to be done. In some areas, our foreign colleagues certainly support us Sorry for the bad manners, we jumped ahead, but nothing, but the challenge was very good. In no case do I want to say anything unnecessary, but nevertheless, I probably won’t be mistaken if I correct you. You said that the temperature in a modern engine for the MS-21 reaches over
1700 degrees. This is a PD-14 engine just for the MS-21 aircraft, and for a wide-body aircraft it is already a PD-35 engine, and there the temperature is already over 1900 degrees. And everything works out. I would like to thank you and those who work on the production itself, we know who does it, and wish them success. All the main stages of the work have already been completed, but we need to help our colleagues and support them. V. Antipov: Thank you, Vladimir Vladimirovich. Vladimir Putin: Thank you very much. M. Kovalchuk: Vladimir Vladimirovich, I will exercise my right [as presenter]. What I wanted to draw your attention to
. Firstly, I wanted to say, when it came to additive technologies, the role of Rosatom, Alexey Evgenievich [Likhachev] sits next to [in the hall], and the Academy [of Science], Gennady Yakovlevich [Krasnikov] is here. I will immediately respond to what you said. The three of us, on behalf of the [President] Administration, are actively working on Velikhov competition projects, choosing the right topics. But this is what I wanted to say. In general, additive technologies in our country arose at the institute in Shatura, which, in my opinion, was called the Institute for Problems of Laser and Information Technologies, something like that. Its director was academician Panchenko, it was created on the initiative of Anatoly Petrovich Alexandrov. So, there, for the first time, one might say,
stereolithographs were created in the world, and, you know, plastic copies were made of them. For example, when the remains of the Romanov family were identified, then these parts were created for the first time. And in this sense, a unique base remains there. We discussed, together with Gennady Yakovlevich and Alexey Evgenievich, if you supported, Rosatom produces and develops machines for these additive technologies - and quite successfully. If it were possible, since there are colossal capacities in Shatura, to create an interdepartmental center for additive technologies, in which we would combine the efforts of the Kurchatov Institute, Rosatom and the Academy of Sciences, we would leave both the traditions and all the potential that remains there. I think this is very possible.
V. Putin: It seems so to me too, but we need to ask Alexey [Likhachev], because I know that there is a certain competition between the Kurchatov Institute and Rosatom: either you want to get to them, or he wants to get to you. To be honest, I support any actions related to joining forces. (Addressing A. Likhachev.) Therefore, I ask you, Alexey, to work too. M. Kovalchuk: Can I put an end to it then? You gave an order. Vladimir Putin: Please. M. Kovalchuk: Alexey Evgenievich and Gennady Yakovlevich, watching TV three days
ago, signed an agreement and, on your direct instructions, created the Council for the Strategic Development of Rosatom and the Kurchatov Institute. That is, we have no contradictions. I publicly... I think Alexey Evgenievich can confirm this. Only unity. Vladimir Putin: What have you created? Advice? M. Kovalchuk: Council for Strategic Development. Vladimir Putin: Advice and love. (Laughter.)
M. Kovalchuk: I would like to give the floor to Alexander Igorevich Chernov, head of the scientific group of the Russian Quantum Center. Before he talks about graphene, I will literally say one thing very briefly. We have a huge number of elements in the periodic table, but there are only four elements that stand out very strongly - oxygen, hydrogen, nitrogen and carbon. They stand out for a number of reasons. First. If we take a biological substance, then there is no biological substance
that does not have these four elements. Inorganics and metals are simpler, we are more complex, but we definitely have hydrogen, oxygen, carbon and nitrogen. Vladimir Putin: And we need more money. M. Kovalchuk: Money is the next stage. First you need to have these elements. But now what's important? These elements are unique because, look, hydrogen and oxygen are, on the one hand, water, a generally inexplicable thing, and on the other hand, they are explosive gas.
Further. Oxygen is an oxidizing agent. All combustion occurs thanks to it, and our aging is also a process of oxidation. Oxygen plays a major role in free radicals. Now nitrogen is an energy-rich material. These are fertilizers and explosives,
any explosives. And if it is further compressed, for example, on diamond anvils, then the energy reserve generally approaches atomic energy. This is nitrogen. And carbon is generally a unique material. On the one hand, this is diamond - the hardest material, and on the other hand, it is graphite, a high-temperature material. And on the third hand, this is fullerene, the most complex thing, and graphene. This is a network, a single-layer atom, for which our compatriots received the Nobel Prize.
Vladimir Putin: One layer thick. But we went further and added something else to this layer. You'll tell us about it now, right? A. Chernov: Yes, that’s right. M. Kovalchuk: Alexander Igorevich, please. A. Chernov: Dear Vladimir Vladimirovich! Dear colleagues! Imagine if your smartphone could analyze your breath and instantly detect the first signs of illness. Or that you have a sensor on your clothes that will tell
you about environmental pollution when you are out for a walk. It sounds a little fantastical, but in fact these technologies are already developing, and the key to them is 2D materials. Our laboratory at the Russian Quantum Center MIPT is creating devices based on two-dimensional materials, such as graphene, which has already been presented. It is a carbon crystal one atom thick. Indeed, Andrei Geim and Konstantin Novoselov were awarded the Nobel Prize in 2010 for their innovative experiments with this material. The question arises: what new has happened since then? Today we work not only with graphene, we also use others, a large number of other two-dimensional materials, also one or several atoms thick. We can stack them with each other, rotate them at different angles,
that is, create new materials, literally like a construction set. These new materials have new properties, and most importantly, they can be tailored to specific tasks. In our laboratory we are engaged in fundamental research, that is, we study the physics of processes, some new effects, and this work has already borne fruit. Today at the exhibition you should be shown materials and sensors made from these materials at the Gazprombank stand
and told about the possibilities of application. For example, they can be used for night vision devices. The main advantage of using 2D materials is that the sensitivity is 15 times greater, which means that in the dark you can detect an object at a much greater distance. In addition, technologies based on two-dimensional materials can also be used in medical technologies. Biosensors based on two-dimensional materials are being created to detect biomarkers of diseases both in the blood and in the breath.
Due to the fact that they are small and flexible, they can be built into wearable electronics or clothing and continuously monitor, for example, a person’s breathing. Highly sensitive graphene sensors already exist, and they detect diseases such as lung cancer and tuberculosis in the early stages, and analyze human breathing. Our example shows that the study of new materials and the effects that occur in them allows us to create something fundamentally new, that is, not to repeat old technologies, not to somehow modernize them, but to obtain devices that significantly exceed their existing analogues in their characteristics. It seems to me that it is fundamentally important to support fundamental science, which gives the world these discoveries, which then make it possible to create devices - and, as they say, they allow, thanks to their unique characteristics, to overtake at the turn, achieve a leading position and, as a result, achieve domestic high-tech products. I would like to make two points. Firstly, I would like industrial partners to come with requests for such materials with certain characteristics. That is, they, for example, would tell us what parameters are needed,
what materials are of interest to them. It seems to me that in this case the devices will turn out faster, which can be implemented. I know that some work is already being done in this direction. I would still like to highlight how I see it, how this problem could be solved. It could be solved by creating some kind of digital platform, I would even say, a marketplace, where scientific teams and industrial customers would meet and try to find a common language. I know that such work is already underway, and I would like to hope that they will be supported further. The second point that I would like to reflect is that the transition from one unique device to mass production certainly requires the debugging of some technological processes. This usually takes place in the university’s “clean zone”
or in a shared use center. At MIPT we have access to a “clean zone”, where we can assemble a device, then test it, for example, publish an article, and students and graduate students will be very happy, since they can easily defend their diploma and dissertation. However, if you want to go from one device that has unique properties, which was created in the laboratory and which was made by some very talented young researcher, for example, to ten with the same parameters, this requires adjusting this technological process.
Why do I say this? Because, for example, at the Russian Quantum Center and at MIPT, our colleagues are successfully following this path. But on a national scale, it seems to me that this problem could be solved if certain platforms were created where these technological processes could be worked out, for example, in collaboration between universities or collaboration between a university and an industrial partner. Such centers would allow technology transfer and would make it easier to achieve your May decrees in the field of technological leadership. Thank you.
V. Putin: I will not go into the area of sensors now - this is an extremely important area with a wide range of applications. Thank God, we are developing this direction, including with your help. As for creating digital platforms where we could interact and exchange information, see requests for industrial partners and the capabilities of our scientific schools and manufacturers, this is very important. If this is not enough, then, of course, it must be done. I am now appealing to my colleagues from the Government and the Academy of Sciences: we need to join forces. It's not difficult and should definitely be done. Please pay attention to this.
Regarding environmental pollution. You said that [it would be] possible to have a sensor that, while walking, would tell us what the environment around us is like, and so on. You know, this is very important, especially if everything is fine. But sometimes we have... The simplest device is the nose. When people go out near landfills, there is no need for any sensors: such a smell comes from these landfills that everything is clear.
Nevertheless, the scope of what you do is, of course, very large. When you just said that it is possible to diagnose at an early stage simply by analyzing a person’s breath, say, some kind of lung cancer or something else - of course, this is a revolution, this is just a revolution. We will do everything to help you. A. Chernov: Thank you very much. Vladimir Putin: Thank you very much. M. Kovalchuk: Vladimir Vladimirovich, at a minimum, sensors are needed for things
that don’t smell and that you can’t detect with your nose. You know, I would like to say just one word on this matter, to remind. When they talk about a platform, this is a very important thing, but we have an academic model of science, not a university one. I would like to remind you that the Institute of Physics and Technology was initially conceived very simply when it was created: each faculty, each part had a basic organization in the form of a large scientific center. This was the strength of the Physics and Technology school. It seems to me that today, when dealing with platforms, which is extremely important, modern - both digital and artificial intelligence, we must not forget, restore and support this system. Because the easiest way to implement the results of
fundamental sciences is contact with a real institute that creates what is used in industry. This is our extremely important and sought-after Soviet experience, why Phystech and so valued all over the world. It seems to me that we need to support this in every possible way, and this will be right. Thanks a lot. I will give the next word to Nadezhda Vasilievna Potekhina, head of the materials science laboratory of the Research Institute of Scientific and Production Association “Luch” of Rosatom. I want to say that we are talking about materials, and all nuclear technologies, whatever we are talking about now, they come down to the creation of materials. We created the materials, so we did the nuclear project, and our continued success in nuclear technology is tied to the materials.
Please. N. Potekhina: Thank you, Mikhail Valentinovich, for your word. Today it has already been noted that modern materials science is truly called upon to embody the most daring and even fantastic ideas of scientists and engineers. The nuclear industry, whose 80th anniversary we celebrate this year, has always been the cradle of record-breaking materials, and this cradle has been in the hands of major materials scientists from the very beginning. Now this knowledge is carefully preserved by the Kurchatov Institute and Rosatom enterprises.
Thanks to the accumulated experience, the tasks that are solved at Rosatom enterprises are not limited only to the creation of the latest materials for the nuclear industry. The range of tasks is extremely wide. And I would like now each of you to answer a very simple question: how long have you looked at the starry sky? And they didn’t just look, but thought about how high the level of technology must be to ensure a long flight to the Moon or to Mars - and preferably both there - and, of course, to return home? How durable should functional materials be, which work under very severe conditions both in terms of temperature and mechanical loads and must also ensure the operation of fairly serious installations? Our team deals with just such materials. These are refractory metals and their alloys. These materials can be compared to extreme athletes; they are reliable under special operating conditions: temperatures above 1300 degrees Celsius, severe mechanical loads and radiation exposure. Our materials are the heart of the latest types of unique high-temperature nuclear power propulsion systems.
We consider our achievement to be the development of technologies and equipment for creating single-crystalline workpieces of complex shapes. This ensured the reliability of their properties at previously unattainable temperatures and loads. It is the complex of mechanical properties and radiation resistance that distinguish our materials. It must be said that we, of course, do not stop there. We see the success of our Chinese colleagues in the field of refractory alloys. These works certainly spur us on, because scientists are also athletes in a way, and it is important for us to maintain our leadership.
It must be said that the development of our work has already made it possible to create material for use in advanced propulsion systems for high-speed flights in the air. This was previously unattainable for refractory metals, and we are actively working to increase the service life of such materials. Of course, the scientific significance of our work does not lie only in the creation of a certain composition of the alloy, because the shape of the product can also be complex. And here we,
like our colleagues, use modern additive technologies and digital methods. Perhaps, unfortunately, but in our opinion, it seems fortunately, it is impossible to use existing printers for refractory alloys. That is why we have designed special additive installations that allow us to work efficiently with such materials. Of course, the developments that I just talked about have a small production volume, but the prospects for the use of refractory alloys are not limited to just a very narrow, special area in space - of course not. We hope that future generations of young specialists will already work on the development of miniaturized power plants. Perhaps these works will be in close cooperation with the Russian Science Foundation, with colleagues from the Kurchatov Institute and from specialized universities.
Even now, most of such ambitious work is in the hands of young specialists, young engineers. Today I am glad to represent such a team. What can a young team with such still, in general, young souls dream of? Of course, it is about ensuring that what they invest their knowledge, time, nerves and sometimes even health into turns out. So that our refractory alloys conquer space, fulfill their purpose there and definitely find their application in everyday, earthly life. And this
is impossible without the development of the Russian raw material base of refractory [alloys], without active attention and reverent attitude towards production and industry. We, in turn, are confident that unique Russian developments with our refractory alloys will definitely find a worthy response in the global scientific community. Thank you. Vladimir Putin: I understand correctly that these are the rare earth metals you need, right? N. Potekhina: Yes, that’s right. Vladimir Putin: What do you propose? What are we going to do? N.Potekhina: Develop our deposits, remember them.
V. Putin: Have you studied these deposits? At least they were interested in where, what, and how they could get it? Except Yakutia. Everyone in Yakutia probably knows what it is. And besides Yakutia? N. Potekhina: I’ll tell you one secret. I am a geologist, I am from the Geological Faculty
of Moscow State University named after M.V. Lomonosov, so, yes, we studied it, of course. We really hope that the Tyrnyauz molybdenum-tungsten deposit will “perk up in spirit.” Our department worked a lot there at one time. Vladimir Putin: Okay, good. That's what I mean too. But what about flights to Mars? Is it possible for a living cell to fly there and return back? Only honestly. N.Potekhina: We need to find out what’s there. Vladimir Putin: Where? On Mars? This is how spacecraft fly to Mars ; they have flown more than once. Can a cell fly there alive and return alive?
N. Potekhina: We hope that she can, but how long she will last there is another question. Vladimir Putin: What should we do with scientists? (Addressing M. Kovalchuk.) It’s hard for you, Mikhail Valentinovich.
It’s just that some colleagues tell me that this is impossible. Korolev once thought about this and said that you need to fly in a water shell, then the cell will fly back and forth. But this is impossible due to the fact that the device turns out to be so huge that it can neither be launched nor transported there even with the help of the nuclear engines we are developing for space. It turns out to be a big device. But there seem to be no other materials that would protect biological material, a living cell. No?
N. Potekhina: These may be our plans for the future. Vladimir Putin: Good. Funding needs to be allocated, as I understand it? (Laughter.) Thank you very much. Of course, everything that concerns your line of work, refractory alloys are extremely important things, we understand this perfectly well, our colleagues in the Government understand this. We will do everything to help you and support you. M. Kovalchuk: You know, space engines, I must say, we have always
been ahead of the rest in this sense. All our satellites and stations flew into space with nuclear installations on board. And today, together with Rosatom and the Academy, we are developing engines, electrodeless plasma rocket engines. They are of a completely different type, and in this sense they should provide the functions of a tug that will fly to the Moon or Mars.
You and I once said that we are flying into space today, like Munchausen on a cannonball. Our rocket engine gave us several hundred seconds of acceleration - and we flew along a ballistic trajectory. They counted incorrectly - they missed, they didn’t get to the Moon. But we need another engine that can loiter, that is, we can speed up, slow down, and approach the asteroid. We have prototypes of these engines, they move, we have been doing this for many decades. Now, I think, together with the Academy and Rosatom, we have a chance to do this and supply energy to the Moon. In this sense, then we will have something to moor on and deploy energy on the Moon. There are special versions
of stations of a completely new principle. This is a very important thing, and the materials we talked about. I'm coming back because you said so. Once again, Alexey Evgenievich [Likhachev], I would like to report on the implementation of the instructions, so that no one in the room has any doubts that all issues have been resolved. I just want to remind you that a decade and a half ago,
when Rosatom was reformed, Vladimir Vladimirovich then proposed to Sergei Vladilenovich Kiriyenko and me to carry out a reorganization. We were one in Sredmash at one time. Since a commercial modern high-tech company was being formed, it was decided to separate the science from there in the form of the Kurchatov Institute with a number of institutes and create the first national laboratory “Kurchatov Institute”. And then, what was very important, difficult after that period of reorganization, today we have united again as a new, extremely effective modern form. This is the key to success. As before, the atomic space project existed, because there was a parent organization, a scientific director, and it was close contact. Today we have practically restored – and you
actively supported this – this system. I think this is the key to our success today. Our last speaker is Valentin Pavlovich Ananikov, head of the laboratory of the N.D. Zelinsky Institute of Organic Chemistry of the Academy of Sciences. I will ask you to tell me about chemistry. Vladimir Vladimirovich started with chemistry, and now you will finish with it. Please.
V. Ananikov: Dear Vladimir Vladimirovich! Dear colleagues and guests! Nowadays, the application of artificial intelligence and digital modeling has an important influence on the development of chemistry. There is a lot of hype around artificial intelligence, perhaps even high expectations. Who hasn't heard about artificial intelligence? Everyone has already
heard it many times, but it is very important in this hype not to miss the crucial turning point that is now brewing in this area. Now the so -called era for artificial intelligence is coming. Artificial intelligence ceases to be an end in itself, it becomes a tool for the development of practical problems: artificial intelligence for the chemical industry, artificial intelligence for medicine, artificial intelligence for solving environmental issues. We are approaching a new technological stage,
when the use of digital algorithms is an accelerator for innovative development. I must say that this stage, a new stage of scientific research in our country, has arrived on prepared ground. The Russian Science Foundation, created on your initiative, actively contributed to the growth of scientific competencies. It is very pleasant to see from your report
that the foundation's programs are constantly evolving. The support of the foundation from the Young Scientists Support Fund played a very important role in building up human resources. Addressing students and schoolchildren who will probably also watch this program, I want to tell them that you can safely go into science. For you, the state has adequate support for the scientific track from the fund and other programs.
There are a lot of questions about education, especially in such a highly intellectual sphere. A very successful example that I would like to mention is the development of fundamental artificial intelligence algorithms at Innopolis University and their practical implementation in the laboratories of the Kazan Scientific Center of the Russian Academy of Sciences. What is very important is that this is supported by the school program “PhysMatKhim” with the support of the leadership of the Republic of Tatarstan. This could be a very interesting pilot project for staff in this area. As for the chemical industry, of course, this is the most important area for humanity. I would like to see the contribution of the chemical industry to the economy of our country
increase year by year, including paying attention to new areas that are now emerging, which will form the basis of chemical technologies in the near future. If we talk about projects in the field of digital chemistry, such a project “Digital Chemistry” is being implemented with the support of the Ministry of Education and Science, there are large grants. It is being implemented at the N.D. Zelinsky Institute of Organic Chemistry of the Russian Academy of Sciences and is aimed at introducing digital algorithms into chemistry and creating new chemical technologies.
The world's most active heterogeneous catalyst for cross-coupling reactions has been developed. These reactions are in demand in the synthesis of drugs, in the production of materials for energy and new smart materials. This record has stood for two years now. For the first time, a neural network has been developed that, based on a photograph of a substance, determines its chemical formula. This is in demand in quality control systems of the chemical industry.
When I was a schoolboy, I remember that I really loved looking at powders under a microscope, trying to discern the chemical structure in them. Vladimir Putin: What kind of powders? V. Ananikov: Salt, soda, copper sulfate. I tried to discern the chemical structure in them , which, of course, is impossible. In general, in our time this impossibility becomes possible with the help of neural networks. If I
could go back in time and choose my life path again, I would choose scientific research again. Today we are discovering so many interesting things in this area. As for artificial intelligence, our country has a fairly strong position. Colleagues from Rosatom and colleagues from the Kurchatov Institute are actively developing these areas. The Sber company supports the development of artificial intelligence at the level of language models, including for chemical applications. This concerns some of our achievements and positive aspects.
Now the problem I would like to talk about. The key problem, the stumbling block for many chemical projects, is the scaling of chemical synthesis. Our scientific projects with great efficiency produce unique materials with very useful practical properties, but in gram quantities. We need to learn to quickly move from grams to tons. Scaling technologies are a stumbling block for many projects. We don't have a lot of focused research on developing scale-up technologies, especially on creating universal scale-up technologies that can then be applied to a large num
2025-02-27 23:21
