Employees of the Polyolefins Laboratory at the Promkhimtech Advanced Engineering School completed an internship at Sibur Innovations LLC in Tomsk. Over the course of a week, Oleg Sazonov, Candidate of Chemistry Sciences, Head of the Polyolefins Laboratory, and Nikita Panov, Laboratory Engineer, gained hands-on experience in heterogeneous catalysis in polyethylene synthesis of Ziegler-Natta catalysts on a silica gel carrier.

Before starting the practical work, they studied the fundamentals of Ziegler-Natta catalyst chemistry, including their structure, mechanism of action and its role on the polymerization processes. Additionally, the employees of the Advanced Engineering School of KNRTU participated in the preparation of catalysts by depositing active components (such as TiCl4, alkylaluminum compounds) onto the surface of silica gel. They also conducted laboratory tests to evaluate the activity and selectivity of the catalysts in the ethylene polymerization reaction.

“The internship took place among a team of experts, which allowed us to fully absorb their knowledge. It will undoubtedly be beneficial for students and young researches interested in catalysis. This is a great opportunity to gain practical experience and contribute to the development of modern technologies,” remarked Oleg Sazonov, Head of the Polyolefins Laboratory at the Promkhimtech Advanced Engineering School.