Iran and Russia share a similar aspiration — to actively develop science and industry under the conditions of Western sanctions. However, the Islamic Republic has significantly more experience, given its 44 years of living under restrictions and without access to advanced foreign technologies. Russia and Iran are now working together on promising projects, with the collaboration between Empress Catherine II Saint Petersburg Mining University and Shiraz University playing a special role in this process.
In early May, first- and second-year students from Empress Catherine II Saint Petersburg Mining University visited Shiraz University in Iran as part of the "Hope — Mobile Intelligence" project, aimed at developing faculty and student scientific exchange and research mobility. Scientists from both universities are already working on joint research projects — both at the Mining University and Shiraz University, which agreed to establish joint scientific teams at the beginning of last year. In the first phase, ten working groups were formed, promising topics were identified, performance criteria and plans for collaboration were established. In the second phase, professors began practical work, the progress of which was assessed by the St. Petersburg students who came to Shiraz for the internship.
Gathering information for scientific research, comparing university laboratories and enterprise equipment, as well as exchanging data with students, professors, and experts, became top priorities for the students of the Mining University. The young people also discussed scientific ideas with their future colleagues, which could serve as the foundation for joint projects.
The initial stage has already been completed for a project aimed at improving the efficiency of renewable energy sources, which are used, among other things, for powering drilling rigs and oil platforms. On the Iranian side, the project involved experts led by Professor Mohammad Hossein Sheikhi, and on the Russian side, a team led by Valeria Starshaya, an assistant professor in the Department of General Electrical Engineering. One of the studies focuses on triboelectric nanogenerators, which convert energy from mechanical interactions into electrical current.
| A triboelectric nanogenerator is a device that converts mechanical energy (vibrations, movement, friction) into electrical energy through the triboelectric effect and electrostatic induction. The exchange of electrical charges, which causes the triboelectric effect, occurs when two different materials come into contact and are then separated. The resulting potential difference leads to the movement of electrons (current) through an external circuit, generating electricity. An example of the triboelectric effect is the friction between a balloon and hair. |
At Shiraz University, one of the four methods of operating a triboelectric nanogenerator is studied, called the one-sided electrode method. In the first three methods — contact separation moment, rubbing, and sliding — materials such as plastic and fabric can be connected with a copper wire. However, for the one-sided electrode approach, this is not enough.
«Plastic does not have its own conductivity (ordinary plastics are dielectrics), so a conductive layer, such as aluminum foil, must be applied to it. This creates a one-sided contact. The final version of the generator in this case consists of two plates. One plate is made of aluminum, while the other consists of a layer of polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS), copper wire, and polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) as a base for mounting. The generator presented at Shiraz University uses this specific version. Its advantages are low cost, simplicity, and durability. It is also the most cost-effective method», — explained Andrei Kucheryuk, a student in Valeria Starshaya’s group.
The developing nanogenerator is environmentally safe, using non-toxic materials with a simple structure that allows for the extraction of mechanical energy from everyday activities. For example, ordinary human walking can be converted into electrical energy. However, there are also several challenges: due to its low power and high voltage, the use of the device is currently limited to sensors and small gadgets such as smartwatches. At present, scientists are also working on methods to store energy in the generator.
Students were also shown the equipment used to modify the materials from which the generator is made — systems for introducing nanoparticles into the material structure to enhance its properties.
Anastasia Chebykina, a student studying chemical technologies and energy carrier processing, thoroughly examined the organization of scientific research work at the Faculty of Chemical and Petroleum Engineering at Shiraz University. The students were shown bench-scale installations for atmospheric and vacuum distillation of oil and gas with small (three kilograms) and large (30 kilograms) feedstock loads in the oil laboratory, and were given a tour of the gas processing laboratory.
«In Iran, there is active development of technologies for the processing of associated petroleum gas into valuable petrochemical products, which is driven by significant gas production volumes in the country (third in the world). At Shiraz University, oil refining and gas chemistry are developing as complementary fields», — explained Anastasia Chebykina.
The scientific approaches of both universities in the field of oil refining are similar: both Empress Catherine II Saint Petersburg Mining University and Shiraz University focus on improving secondary processes and the depth of raw material processing. Additionally, both universities conduct parallel research on the development and improvement of catalysts for the oil refining and petrochemical industries, with a special emphasis on the practical side of student training. Both universities offer the opportunity to model real oil and gas refining processes in specialized laboratories equipped with modern technology.
Two out of ten joint projects between Empress Catherine II, Saint Petersburg Mining University, and Shiraz University are dedicated to the production of needle coke, which is used in aluminum and steel plants for electrode production. Professor Ali Hafizi, a participant in the research projects at the Department of Chemical Technologies of Oil Refining, explained to the St. Petersburg students that Iran has its own technologies for producing carbon materials.
«Our joint research with the Mining University focuses on the application of needle coke in catalytic processes. In fact, we aim to produce catalysts and electrocatalysts from needle coke to convert carbon dioxide into valuable fuels. We want to transform carbon dioxide into ethanol, gasoline, and other products», — he explained.
The researchers have already synthesized the first samples and are working on the creation of a reactor for experimental testing. Part of the synthesis was carried out in Russia, which highlights the depth of scientific integration between the universities, added Anastasia Chebykina.
Professor Hafizi also described the research methodology in detail: needle coke is modified using various chemical processes and analyzed using FTIR (Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy), X-ray diffraction, thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), atomic force microscopy (AFM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and other methods to study its structure and chemical properties. After this stage, the material is used in reactors — either electrochemical or chemical. Currently, there are two pilot projects in Iran for the production of needle coke — one in the Fars province and another in Tehran.
Leonid Klochkiv, a student from the Department of Geology and Mineral Exploration, also shared with Forpost that the current volume of needle coke produced in Iran cannot meet the entire demand of the local industry, so part of the material is imported from abroad. Petroleum coke, rather than coal coke, is more widely used in the Islamic Republic.
Alisa Pavlova, studying Informatics and Computer Engineering at the Mining University, focused on assessing the laboratory and technical base of Shiraz University. One area of particular interest was the cybersecurity laboratory for technological facilities, where students were shown the principle of controlling an asynchronous motor via a frequency converter, which is managed by an automatic control cabinet through a control controller and input/output signal sensors.
«The entire technological scheme is displayed on the dispatcher’s monitor in the form of a mnemonic diagram. All controlled energy and technological parameters affect the level and color of the mnemonic diagram on the dispatcher’s monitor at the points of their control. Therefore, the dispatcher always has a visual representation of the operation of the technological facility and can immediately identify an abnormal situation when the controlled parameter exceeds the limit. Additionally, the laboratory setup allows for the introduction of malicious code into the motor control system, demonstrating the consequences of such a viral attack and testing methods of protection against it», — explained Alisa Pavlova.
In addition to the scientific aspects, the students from the Mining University also explored the structure of the educational process at Shiraz University. Kristina Tolstikhina, specializing in systems analysis and management, discovered that, unlike students in St. Petersburg, Iranian students do not receive stipends. Instead, their essential expenses, such as food, housing (students are provided with dormitory spaces), and transportation, are covered.
The St. Petersburg student also noted the challenges faced by young scientists in the Islamic Republic. For example, a master's student in Shiraz may have as many written works as associate professors at the Mining University, but even this is sometimes insufficient. Moreover, due to sanctions against Iran, much of the university’s equipment is from the 1970s and 1980s, which complicates some research.
A significant advantage of studying at Shiraz University is the close interaction between the university and the Fars Science and Technology Park (FSTP). Students have the opportunity to attract a local company or a university professor’s interest and implement a project with the help of FSTP. The park operates as a business incubator: projects are provided with office space and laboratories at reduced rates or free of charge, access to necessary infrastructure is granted, and business mentorship and legal support are offered. The park’s sales volume in the domestic market has already reached 17 trillion rials (about 2.1 billion rubles).
Yulia Gurkina, a student from the Department of Systems Analysis and Management, added that Shiraz University students have access to laboratories, co-working spaces, and a vast library with a collection of over 500,000 items. The building housing the library has four floors and covers a total area of 11,000 square meters, allowing up to 700 students to be present there at the same time.
«The library has an old book museum, publications in various world languages, including Russian and English, as well as rare manuscripts by Persian poets (Hafez, Saadi). Another interesting fact about this library, which helps students maintain motivation for learning, is that every month, lists of the best students are displayed at the entrance to the library», — said Yulia Gurkina.
Despite the challenges faced by Iran's science and industry over the past few decades, the country continues to develop both domestic research and international collaboration. The joint projects between Empress Catherine II Saint Petersburg Mining University and Shiraz University demonstrate that even under large-scale sanctions, knowledge exchange and the development of advanced technologies are possible. The projects of the two universities — from experiments with nanogenerators to pilot production of needle coke — lay a strong foundation for scientific partnership and the training of a new generation of researchers, who are the focus of the "Hope — Mobile Intelligence" program.
