GTU Researchers Receive a Grant from the International Science and Technology Center
20-02-2025
The project of scientists and researchers from the Vladimir Chavchanidze Institute of Cybernetics of the Georgian Technical University “GE-2776: Improvement of Thermoelectric Characteristics of Cobalt-Based Oxide Materials by Doping and Microstructure Modulation” has received a grant from the International Science and Technology Center (ISTC).
The project, which is a co-participating country of Armenia and collaborators are Japan and Hungary, is supported from the Georgian side by scientists from the project’s leading organization - the Vladimir Chavchanidze Institute of Cybernetics of the Georgian Technical University, Head of the Energy Efficient Technologies Laboratory - Professor Nikoloz Margiani, Doctors Giorgi Mumladze, Vakhtang Zhghamadze, Iamze Kvartskhava, Maia Balakhashvili, and PhD student Natia Margiani.
According to Iamze Kvartskhava, a research associate at the Department of Coherent Optics and Electronics of the Institute of Cybernetics of the Georgian Technical University, under the leadership of Professor Nikoloz Margiani, an energy-efficient technologies laboratory was established at the institute, where the synthesis of new generation oxide thermoelectric materials using various technologies is carried out, as well as the measurement of the characteristics of the synthesized materials and their improvement.
Experiments conducted at the Institute of Cybernetics have confirmed that by using appropriate additives and nanotechnology, advanced oxide thermoelectrics with significantly improved functional parameters are possible. Over the past few years, the laboratory has won 5 grant competitions on thermoelectricity, presented 14 conference theses, published 6 articles, and obtained 6 patents.
“The results obtained at the Institute of Cybernetics have aroused great interest from foreign colleagues. In particular, famous Japanese, Belarusian, and Armenian professors visited the Institute on a scientific visit. They participate in grant projects obtained by the laboratory and are co-authors of presentations presented by the Georgian group at conferences and articles published in various journals. The laboratory also has fruitful cooperation with Swedish, Hungarian, and Czech colleagues who are involved in ongoing projects at the laboratory as collaborators or consultants. The laboratory won a prestigious competition announced by the International Science and Technology Center (ISTC) and is successfully implementing the grant project “GE-2776: Improvement of thermoelectric characteristics of cobalt-based oxide materials by doping and microstructure modulation”.
One of the collaborators in the project is a Japanese scientist, Vice President of Nagaoka University of Technology, Professor Masatoshi Takeda. The International Science and Technology Center financed Takeda’s visit to Georgia to attend the GTUnano2024 conference held at the Georgian Technical University, where he made a presentation and, at the same time, was a member of the international scientific committee of this conference. The Japanese colleague visited the Institute of Cybernetics and inspected the Energy Efficient Technologies Laboratory. As a result of this visit, steps were planned to deepen Georgian-Japanese scientific cooperation. In particular, the production of thermoelectric generators based on oxide materials with improved thermoelectric efficiency was synthesized in the laboratory. Achieving this goal will make it possible to convert part of the heat wasted in the environment into low-power electricity. With the energy generated in this way, it will be possible to power safety sensors in nuclear power plants, low-power devices in smart homes, and, in general, low-power devices in areas far from basic sources,” says Iamze Kvartskhava.
According to Nikoloz Margiani, Head of the Superconducting and Thermoelectric Materials Research Group at the Vladimir Chavchanidze Institute of Cybernetics of Tbilisi State Technical University, the project includes the development and research of advanced oxide thermoelectrics with significantly improved functional parameters, which envisages increasing the thermoelectric efficiency of oxide thermoelectrics (cobaltites) using appropriate additives and nanotechnology.
„Based on the oxide materials with improved thermoelectric efficiency synthesized in the Energy Efficient Technologies Laboratory, it is possible to manufacture thermoelectric generators to convert waste heat into electricity. The project will deepen the successful cooperation between the Georgian Technical University and Nagaoka University of Technology, whose Vice-President, a collaborator involved in the project, Professor Masatoshi Takeda, was on a scientific visit to Georgia.
At the initiative and request of the International Science and Technology Center - ISTC Office, a presentation was prepared at the Energy Efficient Technologies Laboratory of the Institute of Cybernetics, with Professor Takeda. The bilingual, English, and Japanese versions of the presentation will be presented by ISTC at the Global EXPO 2025, which will be held in Osaka, Japan, from April 13th to October 13th of this year. ISTC wishes to reflect the successful scientific cooperation between Georgia and Japan to improve the technology of environmentally friendly, energy-efficient materials through the presentation to be presented at the Osaka Expo. EXPO 2025 will greatly contribute to deepening collaboration between Japanese and Georgian scientists and proudly showcase Georgia’s scientific potential in the challenges of thermoelectric technology,” says Nikoloz Margiani.
The project, which is a co-participating country of Armenia and collaborators are Japan and Hungary, is supported from the Georgian side by scientists from the project’s leading organization - the Vladimir Chavchanidze Institute of Cybernetics of the Georgian Technical University, Head of the Energy Efficient Technologies Laboratory - Professor Nikoloz Margiani, Doctors Giorgi Mumladze, Vakhtang Zhghamadze, Iamze Kvartskhava, Maia Balakhashvili, and PhD student Natia Margiani.
According to Iamze Kvartskhava, a research associate at the Department of Coherent Optics and Electronics of the Institute of Cybernetics of the Georgian Technical University, under the leadership of Professor Nikoloz Margiani, an energy-efficient technologies laboratory was established at the institute, where the synthesis of new generation oxide thermoelectric materials using various technologies is carried out, as well as the measurement of the characteristics of the synthesized materials and their improvement.
Experiments conducted at the Institute of Cybernetics have confirmed that by using appropriate additives and nanotechnology, advanced oxide thermoelectrics with significantly improved functional parameters are possible. Over the past few years, the laboratory has won 5 grant competitions on thermoelectricity, presented 14 conference theses, published 6 articles, and obtained 6 patents.
“The results obtained at the Institute of Cybernetics have aroused great interest from foreign colleagues. In particular, famous Japanese, Belarusian, and Armenian professors visited the Institute on a scientific visit. They participate in grant projects obtained by the laboratory and are co-authors of presentations presented by the Georgian group at conferences and articles published in various journals. The laboratory also has fruitful cooperation with Swedish, Hungarian, and Czech colleagues who are involved in ongoing projects at the laboratory as collaborators or consultants. The laboratory won a prestigious competition announced by the International Science and Technology Center (ISTC) and is successfully implementing the grant project “GE-2776: Improvement of thermoelectric characteristics of cobalt-based oxide materials by doping and microstructure modulation”.
One of the collaborators in the project is a Japanese scientist, Vice President of Nagaoka University of Technology, Professor Masatoshi Takeda. The International Science and Technology Center financed Takeda’s visit to Georgia to attend the GTUnano2024 conference held at the Georgian Technical University, where he made a presentation and, at the same time, was a member of the international scientific committee of this conference. The Japanese colleague visited the Institute of Cybernetics and inspected the Energy Efficient Technologies Laboratory. As a result of this visit, steps were planned to deepen Georgian-Japanese scientific cooperation. In particular, the production of thermoelectric generators based on oxide materials with improved thermoelectric efficiency was synthesized in the laboratory. Achieving this goal will make it possible to convert part of the heat wasted in the environment into low-power electricity. With the energy generated in this way, it will be possible to power safety sensors in nuclear power plants, low-power devices in smart homes, and, in general, low-power devices in areas far from basic sources,” says Iamze Kvartskhava.
According to Nikoloz Margiani, Head of the Superconducting and Thermoelectric Materials Research Group at the Vladimir Chavchanidze Institute of Cybernetics of Tbilisi State Technical University, the project includes the development and research of advanced oxide thermoelectrics with significantly improved functional parameters, which envisages increasing the thermoelectric efficiency of oxide thermoelectrics (cobaltites) using appropriate additives and nanotechnology.
„Based on the oxide materials with improved thermoelectric efficiency synthesized in the Energy Efficient Technologies Laboratory, it is possible to manufacture thermoelectric generators to convert waste heat into electricity. The project will deepen the successful cooperation between the Georgian Technical University and Nagaoka University of Technology, whose Vice-President, a collaborator involved in the project, Professor Masatoshi Takeda, was on a scientific visit to Georgia.
At the initiative and request of the International Science and Technology Center - ISTC Office, a presentation was prepared at the Energy Efficient Technologies Laboratory of the Institute of Cybernetics, with Professor Takeda. The bilingual, English, and Japanese versions of the presentation will be presented by ISTC at the Global EXPO 2025, which will be held in Osaka, Japan, from April 13th to October 13th of this year. ISTC wishes to reflect the successful scientific cooperation between Georgia and Japan to improve the technology of environmentally friendly, energy-efficient materials through the presentation to be presented at the Osaka Expo. EXPO 2025 will greatly contribute to deepening collaboration between Japanese and Georgian scientists and proudly showcase Georgia’s scientific potential in the challenges of thermoelectric technology,” says Nikoloz Margiani.
