Within the framework of the All-Russian Forum of Young Scientists, Engineers and Entrepreneurs U-NOVUS – 2025 held in Tomsk, TSU launched the facility for the production of Russian organic electrolyte for supercapacitors – sources of short-term and powerful energy pulses.
The facility was designed by specialists of the Engineering Chemical and Technology Center (ECTC) at Tomsk State University, which is one of the five participants in a large project to create Russian supercapacitors on the basis of the Elekond company in Udmurtia.
Project participants fr om Tambov, Moscow, Udmurtia, Arkhangelsk, as well as industrial partners from different cities of the country interested in the production of supercapacitors gathered at Tomsk ECTC for the ceremonial launch of production.
— Supercapacitors are chemical current sources similar to batteries – they store energy, but have the properties of releasing this energy very quickly. They are used for starting devices of starters in automobiles, large machinery, aircraft, locomotives and so on. Right after its official launch, the facility will start producing the first electrolytes. For one production cycle it can synthesize 6.5 kilograms of products, said Alexey Knyazev, Director of the Engineering Chemical Technology Center.
The production of Russian electrolyte for the creation of domestic supercapacitors expands Russia’s opportunities in traditional and alternative energy, electronic devices and transportation energy, particularly in the production of powerful battery systems. The Tomsk electrolyte production project was possible due to the support of the Advanced Research Foundation (ARF).
— The launch of the pilot facility at the TSU Center for Low-tonnage Chemistry is an important event. We see a positive experience in the development of a scalable technology for obtaining key components for the production of supercapacitors with unique characteristics. I would like to note that the project utilizes domestic innovative materials, said Maxim Vakshtein, Director General of Advanced Research Foundation. – Tomsk State University has a wide range of competencies to implement promising projects. We hope for further expansion of our cooperation in the spheres of low-tonnage chemistry, special materials, and advanced electronics.
Eduard Galazhinsky, Rector of Tomsk State University, emphasized that the development of production facilities in low-tonnage chemistry is one of the key tasks for the university.
— Industry formulates actual demands, and the university addresses them in Tomsk Region. This turns the region into a testing site for advanced technological solutions. The synergy of science and production creates a sustainable model of development, wh ere theory is immediately transformed into practice. This means that the country gets not only ideas, but also real tools for technological breakthrough, commented Eduard Galazhinskiy.
It is worth noting that this year the Engineering Chemical Technology Center will launch 12 chemical production facilities for microelectronics in the industrial park of Tomsk Region. Many of these developments are at a high level of technological readiness: ozone converter and oxygen generator for the aviation industry, production of very pure hydrogen bromide and tetrakis (dimethylamino) titanium for microelectronics, beta-propiolactone – virus inactivator for vaccine production and others.
For reference: Engineering Chemical Technology Center (LLC ECTC) was established on the basis of TSU and specializes in scaling scientific developments and solving production tasks with the use of knowledge-intensive technologies. ECTC has three production sites and hundreds of implemented projects aimed at the development of the Russian chemical industry and import substitution. In total, over 600 R&D projects were carried out and more than 30 production facilities were launched in different Russian cities, including Moscow and St. Petersburg. The company is one of the developers of the strategy for the development of the chemical industry in Russia until 2035.