Scientific Activities at the Educational and Research Microtron Laboratory

In the "Concept of Educational Activities at UzhNU," approved by the Academic Council and endorsed by the Transcarpathia Regional State Administration, the educational and research microtron laboratory is classified as a unit supporting the university's scientific activities. The presence of accelerators at UzhNU makes the university an attractive partner for scientific collaboration.

Uzhhorod National University (UzhNU) and Brno University of Technology (Czech Republic) are conducting research within the framework of the international project "Energy+Transmutation." They are studying nuclear fragmentation processes in particle accelerator-driven nuclear reactors. The research involves young scientists, including Vasil Martyschychkin, doctoral students Robert Holomb and Angelina Tanchak, and master's student Yevhen Harapko. The obtained results form the basis of nuclear data for the development of new types of subcritical reactors.

Collaboratively with the Institute of Experimental Physics in Kosice (Slovakia), research is being conducted on the radiation effects of various particles on the physical properties of magnetic fluids based on nanoparticles, with applications in biology and medicine. Preliminary results indicate the potential use of magnetic fluids in combination with gamma radiation for effectively breaking down amyloid fibrils that form in the brain in Alzheimer's disease. The data on radiation's impact on magnetic fluids have also proven relevant in space technology for monitoring fuel levels in rocket engines.

In collaboration with the Semiconductor Physics Department of the Faculty of Physics at Uzhhorod National University, research is being conducted on the impact of radiation on the dielectric properties of new materials.

In partnership with the Research Center for Molecular Microbiology and Mucosal Immunology, the first experiment has been conducted to investigate the effects of ionizing radiation on microorganisms. The results obtained indicate a significant difference in the effects of gamma radiation on various types of human microbiome bacteria.

In the microtron laboratory, a non-destructive activation analysis method has been developed for determining the isotopic composition of substances. This method is based on the activation of nuclei in the material using gamma rays or neutrons, followed by gamma spectral analysis of the activated isotopes in the substance.

The Microtron Laboratory actively participates in the educational process for students and postgraduates from the Faculty of Physics, the Ukrainian-Hungarian Educational and Scientific Institute, and the Faculty of Chemistry at Uzhhorod National University, specializing in ecology. Our postgraduate students are actively involved in scientific research conducted as part of international collaborations.

In 2021, Victor Zhaba, an engineer at the Microtron Laboratory, successfully defended his doctoral dissertation at the Institute for Nuclear Research of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine (Kyiv) and at the Bogolyubov Institute for Theoretical Physics of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine (Kyiv). He also won a competition for a two-year postdoctoral research program at the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine. This competition for postdocs was conducted for the first time in Ukraine.nIn 2019, Robert Holomb, a graduate student, completed a six-month internship in South Korea at the International Center for Nuclear Technology. In 2014, Tetiana Poltorzhitska, a graduate student, successfully defended her doctoral dissertation based on experimental results obtained, in part, at the Microtron Laboratory's Betatron B-25. In 2010, Hanna Vasilyeva, a research associate at the Microtron Laboratory, defended her doctoral dissertation based on experimental results related to the physicochemical processes of extracting products of induced fission of 235U from aqueous solutions using inorganic sorbents. In 2010, Ruslan Plekan, a graduate student and research project executor at the laboratory, defended his doctoral dissertation at Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv.

The obtained results of scientific research on activation levels and effective cross-sections expand our understanding of the mechanisms of excitation of nuclear isomeric states through photoduclear reactions. These results also contribute to the EXFOR (Experimental Nuclear Reaction Data) and CDFE (Centre for Photonuclear Experiments Data) nuclear data libraries and find practical applications in nuclear physics and high-energy physics:

a) In activation analysis tasks.

b) In determining the concentrations of investigated nuclides in various samples.

c) In the development of gamma lasers based on nuclear transitions.

At the Faculty of Postgraduate Education, instructors from the Department of Nuclear Physics teach a course on "Radiation Safety and Handling of Ionizing Radiation Sources" for radiologists.

At the Faculty of Physics, a course on "Fundamentals of Radiation Physics and Dosimetry" is taught, while at the Faculty of Chemistry, a course on "Radiation Ecology" is offered. These courses contribute to the education and training of students in radiation-related topics.

Associate professors from the Department of Theoretical Physics, Hanna Vasilyeva and Ruslan Plekan, have prepared informational materials for the general public on how to behave in the event of possible chemical or nuclear weapons use.

During times of conflict or war, the staff of the Nuclear Physics Department can develop programs and conduct training for the city's population or enterprises on the specifics of protection from radiation exposure in the event of potential nuclear weapon use. This proactive approach to educating the public on radiation safety measures is important in ensuring preparedness and response in crisis situations.