Department Chair: Svyatoslav I.Volfson

Phone: +7 (843) 231-42-98

E-mail: svolfson@kstu.ru, kulikova71@kstu.ru, kulikova71@inbox.ru

Address: Building "B" – 72 Karl Marx str., Kazan

In 1960s fast growing rubber processing industry required well-trained specialists. At that time, training in the course “Technology of Rubber” was started under the leadership of U. O. Averko-Antonovich. Embodying the best experience of this course the Department of Chemistry and Technology of Oligomers was established in 2006. In KNRTU training in rubber technology has been headed by Svetoslav Volfson since 1988, firstly as the course leader, then as the department chair.

The enhancement of research and academic work was supported by leading regional companies Tatneft and Fosforos and Rinat Sabirov, advisor in petrochemistry to the President of Tatarstan Republic. New study rooms were build and equipped to give lectures and for Faculty and PhD students work.

International collaboration is one of the key areas of the department development. In 2012, tripartite agreement was signed with Chemnitz University of Technology (Germany) and Krauss-Maffei (Germany), a world leader in production of polymer processing equipment. According to this agreement, the department was equipped with unique twin screw extruder ZE25Ax60DUTXI and injection molding machines КМ 50/180 АХ, КМ 160/750 СХ to carry out collaborate research. Advanced laboratory facilities make it possible to study a wide range of production processes of polymer composite materials such as carbon fiber reinforced polymers, fiber glass plastics, dynamic and mixed thermoplastic elastomers, nanocomposites, wood-polymer composites, and medical products. A PhD student from the department was sent to the Chemnitz University of Technology to study properties of reinforced bio-based composite materials.

Laboratory facility also includes Brabender plasticorder with mixing and extrusion heads, Monsanto rheometer, automated capillary viscometer, rotational viscometer Rheotest, testing machines, differential scanning calorimetry and differential thermal analysis devices, optical and electrical microscopes. The department faculty performs research in a framework of state contracts with the Ministry of Education and Science, Ministry of Industry and Trade of the Russian Federation and contracts with leading industrial enterprises.

The department faculty includes 4 Full Professors, Doctors in Engineering and 7 Associate Professors, PhDs in Engineering.

Research

The research at the department covers the wide area of applied problems in elastomers processing. Obtained results are implemented in new improved products.

The main research focuses are as follows:
- Control of polymer molecular, rheological, physic chemicalproperties to achieve optimum setof characteristics of composite materials;
- Obtaining, processing, properties and application of dynamic and mixed thermoplastic elastomers. The first in Russia dynamic thermoplastic elastomer “Kvartopren” developed at the department is commercially produced at ZAO Kvart. It is applied in automobile, construction, and cable industry;
- Formulation of low-temperature-curable elastomer compositions;
- Innovative methods and equipment for polymer welding. Water-proof roll roofing material is developed at the department. This easy-to-use weldable material is characterized by a 20-year service life, high resistance to aggressive environments and wide service temperature - from 50 оС to + 90 оС. It can be used in chemical equipment protection. Welding allows reducing of the adhesives and sealants;
- Examination of curing, structure and properties of reactive oligomer-based sealants;
- Development of composite materials for medicine;
- Physicochemical aspects of resource- and energy-saving methods for production of nanocomposites.

Academic

The department provides the following Specialist Degree program in Processing Technology of Plastics and Elastomers.

Master Degree programs are as follows:
- Processing Technology of Elastomers;
- Processing Technology of Elastomers. Innovative Entrepreneurship in Composite Materials Processing;
- Processing Technology of Elastomers. Supply Chain Management in Composite Materials Processing.

PhD Degree program is also available in Processing Technology of Polymers and Composites.

Over 3000 specialist have been trained in Elastomers Processing at KNRTU since 1988.

14 monographs and 7 study guides were published and certified by Russian Educational Methodological Association.