Founded in 1991 by NAS academician F. D. Ovcharenko, winner of numerous international prizes, famous for his studies of disperse systems and surface phenomena. The Institue has borne his name since 1998.
The primary research areas of the Institute are:
- biocolloid chemistry of natural and man-made disperse systems and materials; biotechnologies of minerals concentration and environment protection;
- physical and colloid chemistry of disperse materials; principles, methods and technologies of their use in industry; macrokinetics and fractal properties of disperse systems;
- physico-chemical mechanics of natural and technogenic disperse systems.
As the advancement of these studies, the Institute plans to investigate ultra-micro-heterogenous (nano) systems and develop biosensor technologies.
5 departments do research along those lines: Dept. of colloidal technology of natural systems (headed by Prof. Z. P. Ulberg, Dr. Chem.); Dept. of physical chemistry of disperse minerals (headed by M. I. Lebovka, Dr. Phys.&Math.); Dept. of macrokinetics of natural disperse systems (headed by V. I. Kovalchuk, Dr. Phys.&Math.); Dept. of physico-chemical geomechanics (founded by Prof. M. V. Pertsov, now headed by V. A. Prokopenko, Cand. Engin.); Dept. of physico-chemical hydrodynamics of ultradisperse systems (headed by M. M. Rulyov, Dr. Chem.); Lab. of analytical studies and chemical analysis (in collaboration with T. Shevchenko National University, headed by A. K. Trokhimchuk, Dr. Chem.).
The Institute employs 100 researchers, among them 10 doctors and 37 candidates of science. ‘Dorogmettechnologiya’ R&D inter-agency center for ore mining and processing of rare, noble and accompanying metals was set up within the Institute (under NAS and the Ministry of Industrial Policy of Ukraine). Functioning at the Institute is a specialized academic board for awarding candidate’s and doctor’s degrees in colloid chemistry and physics of colloid systems. Charitable NG F. D. Ovcharenko Foundation for promoting colloid chemistry of natural disperse systems operates at the Institute.
Beside fundamental research, the Institute is engaged in numerous international projects with Russia, Kirghizia, the USA, France, Germany, Spain, Argentina, Brazil; it implements projects for the Ministry of Education and Science and the Ministry of Industrial Policy of Ukraine, develops new technologies for mining industry, works towards nature conservation and develops medical preparations based on gel materials and colloid noble metals. ‘Okarin-Vet’ lyophilized probiotic preparation for gastroenteritis prophylacxis in animals and birds has been developed, it has no analogs among known veterinary probiotic preparations; ‘Coagulox’ wound-healing composition and ‘Pelosid’ preparation have also been developed.
3 science schools function at the Institute: those of physical chemistry of disperse minerals, biocolloidal chemistry and electric surface phenomena in disperse and nano-systems.
