Within the Megagrant a new laboratory will be created in Krasnoyarsk for the synthesis and study of promising nanostructures with controlled properties - MAX phases. The Government of the Russian Federation will allocate 90 million roubles for the implementation of the project within three years.

Megagrants are an initiative of the Ministry of Education of the Russian Federation; their main purpose is to create advanced laboratories in scientific institutions and universities involving  world-famous scientists as leaders and colleagues.

Krasnoyarsk scientists received a megagrant for the implementation of the project "Perspective natural nanolayered materials for energy conversion." A new laboratory of Magnetic MAX Materials (MagMAX) will be created at the L.V.Kirensky Institute of Physics SB RAS, where new superconducting and magnetic materials are to be developed and tested.

Michael Farle Ph.D., professor, chairman of the Magnetism Section of the German Physical Society will become the head of the laboratory. Professor Farle is known as one of the world's leading scientists in the field of magnetism of ultra-thin films.

The main task of the laboratory will be the development, study and testing of new magnetic and superconducting, highly oxidation resistant MAX phases. MAX phases are materials consisting of three components: M-transition metal, A-element of group A (mainly IIIA and IVA of the periodic table), and X-carbon and / or nitrogen. In the new laboratory, scientists will be concerned with the synthesis of materials from various combinations of the MAX phases. This will provide an opportunity to create magnetic films from MAX phases with certain adjustable properties, which will allow programming their characteristics at the stage of creation and use them for special needs.

MAX phase materials can be employed starting from the nanoscale level, i.e. storage and recording of magnetic data, as well as spintronics, ending with massive permanent magnets used in motors and generators (electric cars, wind generators), as well as in magnetic cooling (for example, air conditioning) to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

“We hope that the Megagrant will help us reach a new level. We have an opportunity for a major technological upgrade. A unique installation will be acquired for the synthesis of MAX structures. In addition, we had a rare chance to work with a world-level scientist in the field of magnetism of ultrathin films, ”says Sergey Varnakov, Doctor of Physical and Mathematical Sciences, Deputy Director for Science of the L.V. Kirensky Institute of Physics of the Krasnoyarsk Science Center, SB RAS.