The gold medal of the winner in the International competition of scientific and artistic projects of pupils of secondary general schools "Genius was received by the Ukrainian Mykola Ivanchenko " in 2017 in New York, who is a graduate of the Kyiv school № 225. He is a graduate of the Department of Chemistry and Biology of the Kyiv Junior Academy of Science. The project of the young Ukrainian talent "Adsorbent for oil and oil products in water and high humidity on the basis of hydrophobized perlite" first won the All-Ukrainian competition "Intel EKO Ukraine", and then in the United States. In addition to the gold medal for the first place in the contest, Mykola Ivanchenko received a tablet and a grant for studies at the University of SUNY Oswego in New York State.
The work was carried out at the Department of Chemical Technology of Composite Materials of the Faculty of Chemical Engineering in the framework of cooperation between the Igor Sikorsky Kyiv Polytechnic Insitute and Junior Academy of Science. Proper preparation of the contestant was provided by his scientific adviser Ph.D., Associate Professor, Oleksii Myroniuk.
According to the mentor, the essence of the work was to create a material for cleaning the surface of reservoirs from oil products. The need for such materials arises in the event of accidents during the transportation of oil by tankers or during its extraction from the shelf. So, the work is being done by the environmental task, because from time to time such accidents do happen. And although the amount of oil products that is lost in this way is rather small - about 0.05% of the total production, each of these accidents causes a tangible damage to the ecosystem of reservoirs. The difference between the material and the existing ones is that it is able to hold onto the water surface and absorb up to 2.5 times more pollutants than its own weight. After the completion of this process, the material is collected from the surface, and oil can be regenerated using the technology used to extract it from sandy rocks.
According to the program of cooperation between Kyiv Polytechnic Institute and Junior Academy of Science, annually pupils of 8-11 grades can carry out research works on the basis of our university, in particular, at the Faculty of Chemical Engineering. At the beginning of the academic year, the faculty transmits to the appropriate division of the and Junior Academy of Science a list of topics on which pupils can carry out projects. Of course, the best winners first in the corresponding stages of the competition of the and Junior Academy of Science, and then can participate in international competitions. To ensure a high level of work, however, it is necessary as the hard work of the listener himself and the head of the work from the KPI, and the school teacher who is with the student in constant contact, and therefore can direct it or additionally motivate. Works of high scientific level can be performed for a long time. For example, Mykola Ivanchenko spent nearly a year and a half on his work. By the way, nowadays he is a freshman at the Faculty of Chemical Engineering.
"I also conducted a project for Junior Academy of Science in the Chemistry section, - said Oleksii Myroniuk. - Since then, almost twenty years have passed. Such projects help young people join science, take first steps in research practice and decide on the direction in which it will be really interesting for them to work and develop in the future. I consider it necessary to devote my time to such students, because once my scientific adviser dedicated it to me. Therefore, now, within the framework of cooperation with the Junior Academy of Science, our department invites its listeners to implement projects of various topics: nanostructured surfaces, composite materials, non-Newtonian fluids and so on. I am sure that if the Junior Academy of Science project is perceived by its performer as an opportunity to recognize the world, it is enough to waste time and efforts to achieve the goal - both victories in international contests and the creation of inventions are possible."