The new State Program for Development of Chemical Science and Technology for 2021-2025 has started.All plans of the Institute of Chemistry under the Academy of Sciences of Turkmenistan are prepared in accordance with this five-year program aimed at the rational using of natural resources, improving the quality of construction materials, developing industry, introducing innovative developments of scientists into production, and attracting young people to science.
Thus, within the framework of the program, a new laboratory “Industrial Chemistry” was opened at the Institute this year.The laboratory will work on improving the quality of construction materials, creating new construction products and import substitution.
In addition a new department “Technological design and introduction into production” was launched, where innovative technologies based on local raw materials will be developed.
Moreover, the Institute of Chemistry is in charge with training young scientists and specialists. To attract young people to science, the institution has two departments. The specialists of the Institute conduct classes in two schools, where they prepare children for scientific work, project competitions at the state and international levels.
The past year has been successful and fruitful for the Institute of Chemistry under the Academy of Sciences of Turkmenistan.The scientific institution has fulfilled the pan by 110 percent.
The main task of the only chemical research institution in the country is waste-free production in the implementation of cost-effective scientific research, creation of competitive products in the world market.
Waste-free production has captured the minds and various spheres of human life. Any industrial enterprise, especially a chemical, petrochemical, biotechnological, has a certain waste. And the task of the Institute of Chemistry is to transfer production to closed-cycle technology to re-use the waste or to process it into raw material for new products.
The Institute gradually switched to self-financing, and then, flexibly adapting to market economy, a year earlier than the deadline set by the decree of President Berdimuhamedov 2022, completely began to support itself from own funds.
With the transition to self-supporting basis, the tasks set before the Institute were carried out at a high pace. For example, in 2019, on paid services, the institution concluded 134 contracts, and in 2020 146 contracts.
The self-sufficiency practice in 2020 gave positive results.Research and development activity of the Institute of Chemistry is of relevance in both the public and private sectors.
Their performance is growing from year to year.So, on outcomes of last year, the State Service for Intellectual Property under the Ministry of Finance and Economy of Turkmenistan awarded 6 patents, 5 developments were introduced into production.
The past calendar year added new names to the list of scientific works carried out by the staff of the Institute of Chemistry. In 2020, Turkmen chemists published 85 scientific articles, 3 of them were published in the scientific journal of Tatarstan “Vestnik KNTU”.
Local specialists have contributed a lot to introduce their developments into production import-substituting products using local raw materials. There are many successful examples of such activities.
So, isopropyl alcohol was obtained from agricultural waste, at the Türkmendemirönümleri plant Ferrosilicon, an alloy of iron and silicon, a technology for producing caustic soda based on local raw materials edible salt (NaCl) was developed, road bitumen by distilling tar in an inert gas medium was obtained.
The production of briquettes from the dried yuzerlik plant (harmala), as well as a shoe polish, antiseptics, etc. on the basis of local raw materials were welcomed a lot by society.
Turkmen scientists support the green chemistry trend. It is a set of measures and technologies that makes the process to be more environmentally friendly. In other words, it is a comprehensive approach to make production the waste-free, safe, and cost-effective.
Now, on the basis of local raw materials, scientists are developing new types of products for various sectors of the country’s economy medical, agricultural, construction, textile, etc.
New types of construction materials on the basis of local raw materials are being developed. For example, refractory bricks, and new types of cement it is a part of the five-year program. The program provides for new types of dyes for the textile industry.
The study of properties of local plants licorice root and harmala are of promising areas for scientists to produce a number of import-substituting products.
According to Turkmen specialists, the innovative economy is investment and non-stop qualitative up-dating of all processes and sectors. And the country’s rich natural resources and the opportunities created by innovative technologies are its enormous potential