On April 7, 2026, the leadership of the NAS of Ukraine familiarized themselves with the work of the L.V. Pisarzhevsky Institute of Physical Chemistry – a facility where the scientific foundations for new materials, energy solutions, and technologies of the future are formed.
The Institute was visited by the Vice President of the NAS of Ukraine, Head of the Section of Chemical and Biological Sciences, academician of the NAS of Ukraine Volodymyr Radchenko, academician-secretary of the Chemistry Department of the NAS of Ukraine, academician of the NAS of Ukraine Petro Stryzhak, and the scientific secretary of the Chemistry Department, Candidate of Biological Sciences Oksana Dziuba.
The Institute was founded in 1927 by the outstanding scientist – academician Lev Pisarzhevsky. His works on electronic chemistry gained worldwide recognition and laid the foundations of the modern theory of chemical structure and concepts of the electronic nature of chemical phenomena. These ideas precisely defined the formation and development of most scientific directions and schools of the Institute.
As noted during the meeting by the honorary director of the Institute, academician of the NAS of Ukraine Vyacheslav Koshechko, this is the oldest academic institution of chemical profile in Ukraine and one of the first specialized institutions in physical chemistry in the world. Over the years, scientists whose results became part of world science worked here: Oleksandr Brodsky – in isotope chemistry and theory of chemical structure, Viktor Royter and Mykola Polyakov – in catalysis, Borys Dayn – in photochemistry, Kyrylo Yatsymyrskyi – in physical-inorganic chemistry, Volodymyr Pokhodenko – in physical chemistry of free radicals and nanomaterials.
Within the walls of the Institute, "heavy water" was first obtained in Europe, the phenomenon of heterogeneous-homogeneous catalysis was discovered, zeolites were synthesized, and a new class of free radical reactions – single-electron redox transformations – was identified. A number of effects and phenomena discovered here have fundamental significance for various fields of physical chemistry.
The Director of the Institute, academician of the NAS of Ukraine Vitalii Pavlishchuk, presented the history of the institution’s development, its key scientific directions, and recent results.
The Institute operates as a multidisciplinary center of modern chemical science – research is conducted in five main areas: theory of chemical structure, kinetics and reactivity; catalysis; adsorption and adsorbents; high-energy chemistry; physical-inorganic chemistry.
The focus is on the fundamental foundations for creating new functional materials, controlling chemical reactions, as well as research on nanostructures, two-dimensional systems, and quantum size effects. These directions today shape the global agenda of physical chemistry.
This concerns, in particular, graphene-like materials, nanocomposites, and hybrid systems for electronics and optoelectronics, components for solar cells and power sources, photoluminescent materials, and information recording systems. Parallel research is developing in catalysis – from creating nanophase catalysts to new methods of obtaining fuel from renewable raw materials, hydrogen energy processes, and environmental protection solutions.
A separate direction is the development of new generations of zeolites, porous materials, and coordination polymers, as well as highly sensitive sensor systems and selective sorbents. The Institute holds leading positions in these areas.
The level of research is confirmed by international publication activity: about 90% of articles are published in journals indexed in Scopus and Web of Science, a significant portion in first and second quartile journals. The Institute actively cooperates with scientific centers worldwide, implements international projects, and interacts with Ukrainian and foreign companies.
A scientific journal, "Theoretical and Experimental Chemistry," published in English and included in international scientometric databases, was presented separately. The Institute also systematically works on attracting extrabudgetary funding and updating scientific equipment.
During the visit, laboratories and equipment bases were inspected. Scientists demonstrated modern complexes for electrochemical research, the D8 ADVANCE diffractometer, the ElvaX 2 X-ray fluorescence spectrometer, equipment of the Collective Use Center "Porosity and Structure of Nanomaterials," as well as the operation of a Raman spectrometer, chromatographic systems, and a catalytic unit for synthetic fuel production.
The Institute also has scientific-technological structures that ensure the implementation of developments – the "Scientific-Technological Center" and "Radma." It is on their basis that technological solutions are refined and new developments are brought to practical application, particularly for security, defense, and post-war reconstruction needs of the country.
These structures actively cooperate with leading enterprises of Ukraine – including nuclear power plants, SE "Antonov," KB "Pivdenne," the "Azot" association, Borshchahivka Chemical and Pharmaceutical Plant, and others.
Summarizing the visit, Vice President of the NAS of Ukraine Volodymyr Radchenko noted the high level of scientific results, publications, and personnel training, and emphasized the importance of preserving scientific traditions and attracting young researchers.
According to information from the L.V. Pisarzhevsky Institute of Physical Chemistry
