Advanced materials and chemistry: the foundation of Russia’s technological leadership

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The "Advanced Materials and Chemistry" national project, launched in Russia in 2025, is aimed at achieving technological sovereignty in the production of low- and medium-tonnage chemicals, composites, and rare-earth metals. This was discussed by experts and speakers at the plenary session titled "Chemistry and Materials – the Foundation of Technological Leadership". The discussion took place on 27 January at the National Centre RUSSIA as part of the 3rd International Forum of Advanced Materials, Chemistry and Technologies "AMTEXPO 2026". The National Centre RUSSIA is a co-organiser of the event.

"The national project 'Advanced Materials and Chemistry' is of systemic importance for the entire industry and economy. Any technological innovation today is linked to specific properties of the materials we use. The state's ability to provide itself with these materials is a fundamental condition, first for technological sovereignty, and then for leadership," said Anton Alikhanov, Minister of Industry and Trade of the Russian Federation.

According to him, in international trade today, issues of access to or blocking of access to various materials, including rare-earth metals and specialty chemicals, are subjects of critical negotiations. Anton Alikhanov emphasised that every technological product today is an example of using such materials, and chemistry serves as the connecting link in all these processes. Thus, without rare-earth metals, it is impossible to create steels with special properties, modern integrated circuit topologies, microelectronics, optical equipment, and much more.

"A strength of transport science has always been interaction with engineers and scientists in the field of advanced materials. Dmitri Mendeleyev, who developed the up-to-date alloys for the nuclear-powered icebreaker 'Yermak' intended for the development of the Northern Sea Route, taught at the Institute of the Transport Engineers Corps. Pavel Velikhov, grandfather of Academician Yevgeny Velikhov, designed bridges for the Moscow Railway. The founder of aerodynamics, Sergei Chaplygin, developed wing profiles made from light alloys, and elaborated on key ideas for reducing aircraft weight <...> Today, together with the Ministry of Industry and Trade, we are working, for example, on carbon fibers, composites — which is a direct continuation of those ideas. Even now, we are building bridges like the Crimean Bridge employing technologies of Russian cable-stayed bridges, ultra-high-strength fiber-reinforced types of concrete, polymer-bitumen binders, and other materials. Another important project is the construction of the first high-speed railway line. We are the first in the world to build such a line in such complex climatic conditions; constructors in China and Europe have some experience in implementing such projects, but no one has built a high-speed railway line so far north," stated Andrei Nikitin, Minister of Transport of the Russian Federation.

To implement the national project in technological leadership "Advanced Materials and Chemistry", the Head Competence Centre in the field of Materials and Technologies was established in 2025 at the National Research Centre "Kurchatov Institute" by a decree of the Government of the Russian Federation. Its tasks include forming directions of advanced materials science in key high-tech industrial sectors, providing expert-analytical support in the creation of strategic materials and substances, and activities in personnel training.

"The priorities of scientific and technological development of civilization have not changed for hundreds of years. The first priority is material: any idea becomes a public asset only through its materialisation. And to create matter, energy is needed. Therefore, materials science and energy are two eternal main priorities <…> Our country is successful in the field of materials primarily due to the developed fundamental science… Why are we leaders in the atomic and space industry, which today preserves our sovereignty? Why have we always been first in many areas and continue to maintain leadership? Because we learned to create materials, and we had and have powerful fundamental science — very developed and diversified," said the moderator of the discussion, Mikhail Kovalchuk, President of the National Research Centre "Kurchatov Institute".

In addition, reports at the plenary session were delivered by Dmitry Bakunov, Director General of the State Corporation "Roscosmos"; Kirill Lipa, Director General of JSC "TMH"; Eduard Davydov, Director General of JSC "Roskhim"; Mikhail Sutyaginsky, Chairman of the Board of Directors of JSC "GK Titan"; Denis Sekirinsky, Deputy Minister of Science and Higher Education of Russia; and Kirill Komarov, First Deputy Director General of the State Atomiс Energy corporation ROSATOM.

"AMTEXPO 2026" is the 3rd International Forum of Advanced Materials, Chemistry and Technologies. The event is dedicated to discussing key achievements in the development and application of advanced materials in industries that directly shape the citizens' quality of life: medicine, energy, aviation and mechanical engineering, as well as in space technologies, the development of which is impossible without modern materials. During the forum, it is also planned to sum up the results of the first year of implementing the national project "Advanced Materials and Chemistry" and consider the contribution to achieving the goals of technological leadership outlined by Decree No. 309 of the President of the Russian Federation.