BelSU Secures Grant to Develop Corrosion-Resistant Technologies for Industry Lead

Belgorod National Research University (BelSU) has been awarded a substantial grant from the Russian Science Foundation, aimed at advancing the production of corrosion-resistant equipment crucial for the chemical, gas, and oil industries. The project, titled “Stainless Steel and Manufacturing Technologies for Transporting Aggressive and High-Purity Gases,” seeks to enhance the production readiness of stainless steel products. The Oskol Metallurgical Engineering Plant Joint-Stock Company (OZMM JSC) will serve as the industrial partner for this research, which will be conducted at BelSU’s Research Institute of Materials Science and Innovative Technologies under the leadership of Valery Dudko, PhD in Engineering and Associate Professor at the Department of Materials Science and Nanotechnology of the BelSU Institute of Engineering and Digital Technologies.

Valery Dudko emphasized the importance of collaboration between academia and industry, particularly in addressing the challenges faced by production facilities that struggle with small batch manufacturing.

“Minor technological adjustments can lead to significant financial losses," he noted. "The university can produce items in small quantities through pilot projects at our Centre for Collective Use, which is equipped with advanced research tools and skilled specialists capable of evaluating how specific process parameters affect product quality.”

Marina Gazizova, PhD in Engineering, involved in the project, points out that Russia currently lacks the production capabilities for AISI 316L stainless steel parts, which are essential for microelectronics. The project aims to develop innovative smelting technologies for AISI 316L steel with varied chemical compositions, assess their corrosion resistance, and create prototypes for components used in transporting aggressive substances across various industries, including chemicals, oil and gas, pharmaceuticals, and electronics.

This initiative marks a significant advancement in BelSU’s strategic development, receiving strong support from university management and Rector Evgeniya Karlovskaya. BelSU is committed to enhancing applied scientific research and integrating innovative technologies into industrial production.

Damir Tagirov, head of the Engineering Centre for Innovative Solutions at BelSU, highlighted the university’s successful collaborations with industrial partners like Belenergomash-BZEM LLC. These partnerships focus on material research, quality control, defect analysis, and product testing, with plans to expand interactions to tackle critical industry challenges amid current market conditions and import independence policies.

The project competition unfolded in two stages: the first phase selected technological proposals from large enterprises, while the second phase identified organizations capable of advancing these technologies for practical application. JSC OZMM’s proposal was chosen for further development, with BelSU’s project recognized by the Russian Science Foundation's expert council as the best for implementation.