Boreskov Institute of Catalysis Launched Weekly Online-Workshop for Future SKIF Users

Laboratory of Perspective Synchrotron Methods of Investigation (LPSMI) of Boreskov Institute of Catalysis conducted the first series of workshops for joining the potential Russian users of SRF “Siberian Ring Photon Source” (SKIF) and sharing experience in using the synchrotron radiation (SR) in various fields of science.

The Head of the Laboratory Dr. Yan ZUBAVICHUS told about the held meetings that are planned to be continues in 2021.

“The series of workshops was organized to inform the Russian synchrotron community on how we are working on the beamlines of SRF SKIF, to share experience of the use of synchrotron methods as well as the bright research tasks and the most important latest results, to discuss possible solutions of the problems appearing in the process of the beamline designing. We have found reliable partners and assistants, collected opinions and pieces of advice on how to build the further working on the project. The horizontal communication is being formed, this is an initiative of interested scientists in the field of SR use, which comes from below”, — he explained.

Still another function of the workshops is educational. The leading Russian and world’s experts in the field of synchrotron radiation told the graduate and post-graduate students about the latest tendencies in science, new methods and advanced research tasks.

According to Yan Zubavichus, quite a number of the Russian and global organizations showed interest in the workshop, including the synchrotron centers in China and Switzerland, Germany, the Kurchatov Institute, Moscow State University, Saint Petersburg State University, Voronezh State University, Institute of Metal Physics in Ekaterinburg, the regional science centers in Izhevsk and Krasnoyarsk as well as Novosibirsk State University, Institute of Inorganic Chemistry and Institute of Solid State Chemistry and Mechanochemistry. The specialists from Southern Federal University that actively participated in the workshops agreed with the scientists of Boreskov Institute of Catalysis to collaborate closely in the field of X-ray synchrotron spectroscopy and, in particular, to hold a topical workshop in the first quarter of 2021 to discuss certain joint projects.

Yan Zubavichus notes that all studies in the field of synchrotron radiation have applied relevance to a certain degree. The invited lectors told about the promising electrode materials for the metal-ion accumulators, functional nanomaterials including biohybrid films used in molecular electronics, etc. The studies in these directions become much more efficient due to SR. The future subjects to be discussed include materials for solar energetics, “smart” polymers and composites with regulated properties for medicine, synchrotron studies of the protein structure and their role in dealing with global pandemics, and many others. Within the framework of the workshops the floor will be given to the representatives of the leading Russian science centers with experience in the SR use as well as of the companies specialized in manufacturing equipment for synchrotron beamlines.

Shared Research Facility SKIF (Siberian Ring Photon Source) is a source of synchrotron radiation (SR) of 4+ generation. The facility is built within the framework of the Nauka (Science) National Project in Koltsovo (Novosibirsk region) as the first element of the advanced Russian network of the mega-science facilities. SKIF is planned to include 30 experimental beamlines, with up to 10000 researchers from scientific and educational organizations from Russia and abroad conducting their investigations annually. It would allow conducting research with bright and intensive beams of X-ray radiation in various fields of science: chemistry, physics, materials science, biology, geology, etc. The source of synchrotron radiation is planned to be launched by 2023, and in 2024 the studies are to be started at the first six beamlines.

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For additional information on the workshops please feel free to contact Yan ZUBAVICHUS at yvz@catalysis.ru