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July 10, 2025
Mathematicians from KarRC RAS shared their expertise in modeling interactions of hydrogen isotopes with structural materials at an event in Sarov

International School “Interaction of Hydrogen Isotopes with Structural Materials” was held at the National Center for Physics and Mathematics in Sarov, Novgorod Region. Karelian scientists gave a lecture and presentations on computational materials science – an efficient tool for rescaling test-sample experimental data to real-life power reactor structures.
The 18th International School “Interaction of Hydrogen Isotope with Structural Materials” has been held in Russia. It is co-organized by the National Center for Physics and Mathematics (NCPM), Russian Federal Nuclear Center (VNIIEF), and ROSATOM Corporation. Karelia is part of the School’s history: the first two times it was organized by the Karelian Research Centre RAS jointly with the St. Petersburg University and VNIIEF, and held at Urozero facility of the Petrozavodsk State University.

The thematic areas of the International School include kinetics and thermodynamics of hydrogen isotope interaction with solid bodies; mechanical properties and structural transformations of materials in a hydrogen medium; hydrides and hydride transformations; research instrumentation and methods.


Member of the School’s International Programming Committee, KarRC RAS Deputy Director General Yuri Zaika

Scientists from the Karelian Research Centre of the Russian Academy of Sciences (KarRC RAS) participated in the School as expert lecturers and speakers. The group included member of the School’s International Programming Committee – KarRC RAS Deputy Director General Yuri Zaika and Senior Researchers from the Institute of Applied Mathematical Research (IAMR) KarRC RAS Natalia Rodchenkova and Ekaterina Kostikova. The team specializes in mathematical modeling in hydrogen materials science. They focus on developing mathematical models of hydrogen permeability, numerical simulation methods, and algorithms for parametric identification based on experimental data.

- Implementation of the large-scale program for the development of the hydrogen energy sector and, in the long term, fusion energy requires various materials with strictly pre-defined properties. Temperatures will be over-extreme, and an exceedingly expensive and radioactive hydrogen isotope, tritium, will be involved. A “mere” kilo per year will be needed. What materials should be used, or even designed? The experimental capabilities are limited, while full-scale experiments aren’t possible. The lessons of Chernobyl and Fukushima have been learned, and mistakes are unacceptable, – emphasized Yuri Zaika, Doctor of Physics and Mathematics.


School participants (left to right): KarRC RAS Deputy Director General Yuri Zaika, Leading Researcher of the Kurchatov Institute Sergey Ananyev, Senior Researchers of IAMR KarRC RAS Natalya Rodchenkova and Ekaterina Kostikova, Senior Researcher of the Institute of Metallurgy, Ural Branch RAS Nikolai Sidorov

The scientist acclaims computational materials science as an efficient tool for rescaling test-sample experimental data to real-life power reactor structures and possible extreme structural material operating conditions.

– The research team at KarRC is contributing to this vast endeavor by tackling highly specific, localized subtasks. They have been collaborating the most closely with experimental physicists and chemists from the Kurchatov Institute and the Institute of Metallurgy, Ural Branch RAS (Yekaterinburg). During the School, the collaborators agreed on plans for further high-priority research, – the scientist added.

On the final day of the School, a scientific workshop was held under the chairmanship of Alexander Sergeev, NCPM Director for Science and RAS Fellow. Director of the Topchiev Institute of Petrochemical Synthesis RAS, RAS Fellow Anton Maksimov delivered a two-hour lecture titled "Current State of the Hydrogen Energy Sector", highlighting the global prospects for the industry’s development.


Workshop chaired by NCPM Director for Science, RAS Fellow Alexander Sergeev

Previously, the work of IAMR KarRC RAS researchers in computational materials science was presented by Senior Researcher of the Laboratory for Modeling Natural-Technical Systems Ekaterina Kostikova at a KarRC RAS Learned Council meeting and in an interview for the Scientific Russia web portal.


Photos: National Center for Physics and Mathematics, Institute of Applied Mathematical Research KarRC RAS

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