Man-material-habitat
Scientists always have a lot of questions: how? why? what if…? It has always been like this - inquisitive minds were looking for answers on how to put nature at the service of people, how to organize the space that is optimal for a person for a comfortable and environmentally friendly life, but the most difficult question was to solve the question - how to make friends between a person and the environment? Valery Stanislavovich Lesovik, Doctor of Technical Sciences, Professor, Corresponding Member of the RAASN, Honored Worker of Science of the Russian Federation, has been looking for answers to these questions all his life. Valery Stanislavovich is known as a leading scientist in the field of building materials science.
This year V.S. Lesovik, together with his department of building materials science, products and structures, won a grant. We asked the scientist about him. — Valery Stanislavovich, what is the essence of the project that received state support? “Our department won another grant from the Russian Science Foundation “Scientific and technical foundations for the production of new generation building composites to improve the human environment using industrial waste from the Belgorod region.” This is a fundamental work that is devoted to the scientific foundations of new materials that are not yet produced either in the Belgorod region, or in Russia, or abroad. We develop all theoretical foundations using the main provisions of the new transdisciplinary science of geonics (geomimetics). By the way, this science was born at our university, its author is your obedient servant. This is a science that solves engineering problems using the results obtained in the study of natural processes. And this scientific direction is transdisciplinary, which is very important.
All the major achievements of the 20th century are associated with interdisciplinarity. Improving the human environment is a complex problem. And it is transdisciplinarity that makes it possible to involve scientists of all directions in solving this problem - physicists, chemists, biologists, doctors, those involved in the food industry, and, of course, materials scientists. Why? Because up to 90% of our lives we are surrounded by building materials. Depending on how these materials protect us from the negative impact of abnormal natural and man-made processes, the quality of our lives also depends. — And how will the grant won help solve the problem you have identified? - We will develop the theoretical foundations for the creation of a wide range of materials. Including high-strength structural and heat-insulating materials that will protect you and me, including from noise aggression. Not to mention the impact of other factors on our body. Why?
Because under the influence of these processes, our body loses its immunity, and this problem concerns the entire civilization. The COVID-19 epidemic has confirmed this. Therefore, our task is precisely to develop such materials that will protect us. At the same time, we will use new types of energy-saving raw materials. These will be composite binders with the replacement of 50% of cement with KMA industrial waste. It is no secret that the production of cement makes a serious contribution to environmental pollution. About 5 billion tons of cement are produced in the world today, while about 4.7 billion tons of harmful substances such as CO2, dust, etc. are emitted into the atmosphere.
Therefore, the replacement of 50% of the cement component in the production of composite binders will solve the most important environmental problem. We will theoretically substantiate these approaches and for 3 years we will conduct experiments to test our theoretical positions. This grant is fundamental research. Subsequently, if some of our firms or plants want to use our achievements, then when they are financed within the framework of R&D for each plant directly, for their equipment, we will offer a technology for implementing these developments. I think that this direction will certainly be of interest and it will be developed not only by the Belgorod Region, but also by other regions of the Russian Federation, and even by foreign partners. — Valery Stanislavovich, what is the amount of the grant and what will it be used for? — The grant is designed for 3 years. The total amount of the grant is 21 million rubles, that is, 7 million rubles will be used per year. 50% of these funds will be used to purchase the necessary equipment.
The rest of the money is for salaries, publication of articles and other expenses. We intend to attract young performers - our project states that 30% of the team that will implement the grant will be young scientists - our bachelors, graduate students, master students. They will not only take part in complex research, but also gain experience in order to defend dissertations and write scientific articles. — What raw materials will be used for research? - First of all, these are raw materials, industrial waste, which are available from the enterprises of the Belgorod region. But let's get back to the history of the issue. The fact is that our region was organized and created thanks to a rock called ferruginous quartzite.