Leading scientists in the field of chemistry and petrochemistry discussed the prospects

The first research-to-practice conference was held at NIOST, SIBUR's scientific centre for chemical technologies, where the leading Russian scientists, and representatives of SIBUR and other petrochemical companies discussed the state of scientific research in the industry and the demand thereof in the industrial production.

According to Vladimir Razumov, the Executive Vice President of SIBUR LLC, it was essential for the Company to restore contacts with academic science. "Currently NIOST is occupied with application-oriented issues, but within a few years it will become a major research institution through maintenance of cooperation with academic science", Vladimir Razumov noted.

Senior executives of the largest Russian scientific centers and NIOST rendered reports at the Conference on current research in the field of synthesis of raw materials for the petrochemical industry, catalytic processes of deeper conversion of hydrocarbons, nanocomposites based on polymeric matrixes, and metathesis processes.

"The raw-material orientation of our economy can be overcome by ways of deeper conversion of raw materials to polymers, and higher refinery processes only", Valentin Parmon, a member of the Russian Academy of Sciences, the Director of the Institute of Catalysis named after G.K. Boreskov, told. "SIBUR has established NIOST which is between science and a customer, performing also the function of selection of scientific research results that are applicable in the industry".

Issues of petrochemical synthesis, development of new catalysts, prospects of generation of new rubbers for the tyre industry and the industry of industrial rubber articles, as well as the problems of the compounds market development were also considered at the Conference in the mode of round-table discussions.

As Salambek Khadzhiev, a member of RAS, the Director of the Institute of Petrochemical Synthesis named after A.V. Topchiyev, noted that scientists and manufacturers had been left to their own devices so far. Now they were united due to SIBUR's initiative. "We tell about the things we have devised lately, and they specify to us the things that they need. All that sounds very simple but this is just the way the innovative economy takes shape", Salambek Khadzhiev emphasized.

"The first science-to-practice conference of SIBUR is a significant event for Tomsk Oblast", Oksana Kozlovskaya, the Vice-Governor of Tomsk Oblast, told, "we are amazed with uniqueness of the equipment used by NIOST researchers. Tomsk is becoming a base of applied scientific research conducted by major corporations and a powerful centre of generation of innovations. Development of our high-school complex and R&D on its basis is one of the most important directions of the regional policy today."

The key participants of the Conference:

• Sergey Sergeyevich Galibeev, the Director General of NIOST LLC;
• Miron Isaakovich Gorilovsky, a Candidate of Chemistry, the Director General of POLYPLASTIK Group LLC;
• Valery Grigoryevich Kulichikhin, the holder of the Chair of Colloid Chemistry at the Department of Chemistry of the Moscow State University, a correspondent member of RAS;
• Vladimir Anatolyevich Kurbatov, a Candidate of Science, the Director General of Neftekhimservis LLC, a professor, a member of the Russian Academy of Natural Sciences;
• Vasily Petrovich Nomokonov, the Head of Technology and Optimization Division of SIBUR LLC;
• Valentin Nikolayevich Parmon, Doctor of Chemistry, the Director of the Institute of Catalysis named after G.K. Boreskov of the Siberian Branch of RAS, a member of RAS;
• Vladimir Vladimirovich Razumov, the Senior Executive Vice-President of SIBUR LLC;
• Victor Fiveg, the Head of the Strategic Development Division of SIBUR LLC;
• Salambek Naibovich Khadzhiev, the Director of the Institute of Petrochemical Synthesis named after A.V. Topchiyev, a member of RAS.

For Editors

SIBUR-Tomskneftekhim Research Organization (NIOST LLC) is a subsidiary enterprise of JSC SIBUR Holding established for the purpose of maintaining competitiveness of the Holding by means of development and implementation of innovative engineering decisions and technologies.

 NIOST LLC (SIBUR-Tomskneftekhim Research organization) is a subsidiary enterprise of JSC SIBUR Holding established as the Company's scientific centre for chemical technologies. NIOST is the first resident of the Special Economic Zone of the technology-introduction type established in Tomsk in 2006.

 The scientific section consists of 6 laboratories of various purposes where various processes are simulated. The Laboratory for Physical and Chemical Research Methods (LPCRM) carries out methodical and analytical support of R&D using a set of state-of-the-art equipment which is unique in Russia and which facilitates conducting of thermal, spectroscopic, resonant, radiographic, and chromatography-mass spectrometry research. The basic direction of activities of the Laboratory for Polymer Composite Materials (LPCM) is development of compounds with preset properties on the basis of polypropylene and polyethylene, and thermoplastic elastomers. Subject matters of projects of the Laboratory for Catalysts and Catalyst Systems (LCCS) are concentrated mainly on catalysts used in the processes of manufacture of monomers for plastics and rubbers - olefines, propylene oxide, as well as some other products - alcohols, aldehydes, acids, and aromatic compounds. The technologies developed by the Laboratory for Synthesis of Plastics (LSP) are focused on introduction of the basic methods of plastics production into subsidiary enterprises of the Holding. Research of production of polymeric materials with a high degree of structure control, and composites based thereon are conducted. The basic direction of work of the Laboratory for Petrochemical Synthesis (LPCS) is generation of low-capacity technologies for production of costly products of organic synthesis. Homogeneous and heterogeneous applied catalyst systems for new and existing processes using the raw materials available at SIBUR's plants are also developed. The activities of the Laboratory for Synthetic Rubbers are directed at synthesis, development and improvement of synthetic rubber technologies, as well as development of perspective rubber technologies of for enterprises of the Holding.