International R&D Centre for Advanced Functional Materials and Their Composites

Basis for establishment:

The International Research & Development (R&D) Centre for Advanced Functional Materials and Their Composites in the field of "green" technology development for chemistry, biotechnology, medicine, environmental protection, and the agro-industrial sector was opened under the programme-targeted funding of scientific and technical programme BR 24993105 "Establishment of a Biotechnological R&D Centre for the Development and Commercialisation of Agricultural Products and Technologies," funded by the Committee of Science of the Ministry of Science and Higher Education of the Republic of Kazakhstan.

Objective:

To conduct research ranging from fundamental to applied and production-ready studies in the field of advanced functional materials and technologies, uniting domestic and international participants to promote innovative developments and facilitate the dissemination of the best available "green" technologies; to create a conducive scientific creative ecosystem for attracting and developing talent.

Activities:

• to establish a platform for consolidating competencies in the development and application of functional materials and their composites, as well as product and process quality control, engaging relevant specialists from research organisations, educational institutions, and industrial enterprises of the Republic of Kazakhstan and abroad;
• to implement a comprehensive programme of fundamental, exploratory, and applied scientific research aimed at addressing real-sector challenges in the creation and application of functional materials and their composites, as well as in improving product and process quality control methods, drawing on the best domestic and international solutions;
• to establish long-term cooperation with potential industrial partners to identify challenges faced by real-sector enterprises and to jointly address them;
• to commercialise developments and achievements in collaboration with industrial partners to create competitive products;
• to establish a startup company for the development of "green" advanced functional materials and their composites, covering business idea formation, achieving product-market fit, and scaling;
• to establish a Testing Laboratory (TL) accredited for compliance with the requirements of GOST ISO/IEC 17025-2019 for providing quality control services for various samples;
• to develop international partnership programmes in education through academic mobility of students (undergraduate, master's, doctoral, and postdoctoral), international faculty exchange, and the implementation of educational programmes in a network collaboration format;
• to foster collaboration among scientists through joint interdisciplinary research, scientific seminars and roundtables on priority directions of science and technology development, and international conferences for the exchange of experience, including the annual joint Kazakhstan-India International Conference on Polymers, Composites, Nanocomposites and Biocomposites (ICPCNB);
• to implement career guidance and outreach projects in the field of advanced functional materials and their composites through seminars and collaboration with educational organisations.

Alignment of the International R&D Centre's activities with the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs):

The activities of the International R&D Centre and its constituent Laboratory of Advanced Functional Materials and Their Composites and Testing Laboratory for Quality Control of Biological Samples and Environmental Objects are aligned with a number of UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) directed at ensuring environmental safety, sustainable agriculture, public health, and the rational use of natural resources.

SDG 3 — Good Health and Well-Being

The Centre's laboratories conduct research on the development of biocompatible and antibacterial materials based on natural minerals and biopolymers, including bentonite clays from the Kalzhat and Orta-Tentek deposits in the Republic of Kazakhstan, which are used in the development of hydrogels, nanopatches, and composite materials with antimicrobial properties. Research is also carried out to develop feed additives, biostimulants, and probiotic preparations for agricultural animals, contributing to the reduction of antibiotic use and the improvement of livestock product safety. The Testing Laboratory for Quality Control of Biological Samples and Environmental Objects conducts analyses of toxic elements, antibiotics, pesticides, and microbiological indicators in milk, meat, feed, water, and plant products.

SDG 4 — Quality Education

A scientific and educational platform operates on the basis of the R&D Centre, providing training for students, master's students, and doctoral students in the fields of chemical technology, biotechnology, ecology, and agricultural sciences. A digital educational platform in the field of agriculture is being developed, aimed at improving the qualifications of specialists, farmers, agronomists, livestock technicians, and veterinarians using modern scientific developments and innovative technologies.

SDG 6 — Clean Water and Sanitation

One of the Centre's directions is the development of sorption and polymer-clay composite materials based on Kazakhstan's bentonite clays and biopolymers for the purification of water from heavy metals, organic pollutants, and toxic compounds. Research is also conducted into the production of hydrogels and nanocomposites from natural and secondary resources, intended for the purification of natural, wastewater, and drinking water.

SDG 12 — Responsible Consumption and Production

The laboratory actively uses secondary and agro-industrial waste to produce functional materials and biological preparations. Research is conducted into the processing of sugar beet pulp, sunflower, rice, and soybean husks, as well as other plant residues, to obtain cellulose, nanocellulose, pectin, humic substances, and carbon quantum dots. Humic preparations based on organic livestock waste, including poultry manure, are also being developed for restoring soil fertility and increasing agricultural crop yields. Agro-mineral compositions based on bentonites with copper and silver nanoparticles are being created for seed encapsulation, contributing to plant protection from pathogens, reducing the use of chemical pesticides, and increasing productivity.

SDG 13 — Climate Action

The development of biological preparations, organic fertilisers, humic substances, and biostimulants contributes to the reduction of synthetic chemical fertiliser and pesticide use, thereby decreasing soil, water, and atmospheric pollution. The use of renewable raw materials and the processing of agricultural waste reduces the carbon footprint and promotes the development of environmentally sustainable agriculture. Research into the restoration of degraded soils, increasing organic matter content, and improving soil structure is aimed at enhancing the resilience of agroecosystems to climate change.

Alignment with the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs): SDG 3, SDG 4, SDG 6, SDG 12, SDG 13