The Institute of High Temperature Electrochemistry of the Ural Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences (IHTE UB RAS) was founded in January 1958 on the base of the Laboratory of Molten Salts Electrochemistry, a worthy part of the Ural electrochemistry research school tradition. Federal Agency of Scientific Organizations (FASO) is the founder of IHTE UB RAS.

Nowadays, IHTE is the only institution that specializes in the field of high temperature physical chemistry and electrochemistry of molten salts and solid state electrolytes. Since the foundation date  IHTE  has been engaged in fundamental studies focused on creation, development and application of the following:

• Theoretical and experimental foundations of modern physical chemistry and electrochemistry of molten salts and solid state electrolytes;

• Principles of electrochemical processes for the production and physical-chemical analysis of new materials for various applications in corrosive environment and high temperatures;

• Scientific fundamentals of resource saving human and environment friendly technologies for electrochemical processes used for the production, refining, and protection of metals and processing inorganic raw materials;

• Principles for construction of high temperature molten and solid electrolyte devices, which provide the most rational direct conversion of molecular energy into electric power.

  IHTE UB RAS is composed of 11 laboratoriesand the Shared access center “Composition of Compounds”based on the Laboratory of Solid Oxide Fuel Cells.

  The Laboratory of Molten Salts is one of the oldest chemistry laboratories in the Ural branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences. The Laboratory is aimed at the study ofphysical chemistry and electrochemistry of molten salt electrolytes;phase boundary phenomena in molten salt electrolytes; thermodynamics, kinetics, and mechanisms of interaction of metals and alloys with molten salts.

The Laboratory of Electrochemical Power Sourcesfocuses on the study of scientific fundamentals of the development of high energy density solid-state lithium ion rechargeable batteries boasting large numbers of discharge/charge cycles, long shelf life, and safety indicators; scientific fundamentals of the development of enhanced service life carbonate fuel cells running on various fuels and scientific fundamentals of the development of high-power thermal batteries for standby power supply.

TheLaboratory of Medical Material Science and Bioceramicsis devoted to the study of the application of novel ceramic materials and composite matrixes based on them in order to substitute defects of bone and cartilaginous tissues. The bioequivalent theory of augmentation for improving the results of treatment of cancer and trauma patients with severe bone and joint defects and deformations is the major basis for investigations.

Scientific Research Department of Solid State Electrochemistry is composed of four laboratories.

TheLaboratory of Solid Oxide Fuel Cells specifies in the study ofionic and mixed solid oxide conductors; transport properties of solid oxide conductors; active electrodes for fuel cells operating at medium high temperatures; kinetics of electrode reactions in electrochemical systems with oxygen- and proton-conducting solid electrolytes; character of degradation processes in fuel cells and solid oxide electrochemical devices: fuel cells, electrolyzers, gas converters, electrochemical pumps and sensors and macrokinetic processes modeling for solid oxide conductor-based cells and devices.

The Shared Access Centre “Composition of compounds” (SAC COC) operates on the base of the Laboratory of Solid Oxide Fuel Cells of the IHTE UB RAS.The SAC “Composition of compounds” develops methods and instrumentation for fundamental and applied research and carries out chemical and elemental, structural and phase analysis, microstructure simulation and research using stable isotopes.

The Laboratory of Electrochemical Devices based on solid oxide proton electrolytes was organized in 2014 at the Institute of High-Temperature Electrochemistry within the Megagrant of Russian Federation for government support of researches conducted under the supervision of leading scientists at Russian educational institutes of higher professional education.The research direction of the Laboratory is the development of solid oxide electrochemical cells with carrying and thin layer proton electrolyte for electrochemical devices.

The Laboratory of Electrochemical Material Science is devoted to the studyof perspective materials for electrochemical devices operating on solid electrolytes and mixed ion-electron conductors; to development of production methods and studying physical- chemical and electrochemical properties of oxygen, proton, and electron-ion conductors of solid oxide electrochemical devices and to development of scientific basis for production technologies of thin films for proton conductive electrolytes and research methods of their properties.

The Laboratory of Cross-Cutting Technologies in Distributed Power Generation (InEnergy) was created within the framework of the “New laboratories” project of the Ministry of Science and Higher Education of Russian Federation on December 28, 2018.  The Laboratory of Cross-Cutting Technologies in Distributed Power Generation (InEnergy) is a joint lab of the IHTE UB RAS and the group of companies InEnergy.At the present time, the scientific research related to the development, manufacture, and testing of the tubular proton-ceramic single fuel cells and low-power fuel cell batteries is carried out in the laboratory.

Scientific-Research Department of Electrolysis is composed of four laboratories, which are focused on the study of kinetics and thermodynamics of electrode processes in molten salts.

The Laboratory of Electrode Processes is devoted to thedevelopment of industrially friendly and resource saving technological processes and cell design;study of the thermodynamics and kinetics of electrode discharge and ionization processes in ionic melts, the influence of electrolyte composition and electrode material nature; electrochemical synthesis of oriented nanocrystalline oxide tungsten bronzes; research and development of new corrosion resistant electrode materials and coatings for improving non-ferrous and light metal electrochemical production technology; development of electrochemical methods for processing recycled materials and non-ferrous metallurgy wastes as well as their valuable components utilization; electrochemical production and refining of metals; study of the electrodeposition of polycrystalline refractory metals and silicon in ionic melts; development of methods for electrochemical synthesis of graphene, metal and metal compound powders, and coatings; study of the thermodynamics, kinetics, and mechanism of corrosion processes for stainless heat resistant steels and alloys and their components in molten (alkali halides and carbonates) metal-salt phases and exchange reactions in these systems; modeling of the electrode process kinetics in electrochemical systems with molten and solid electrolytes and development of the physical-chemical basis of electrochemical technologies for refining and producing metals and their compounds in molten salts.

Today theLaboratory of Radiochemistry is primarily focused on the study of high temperature chemistry and electrochemistry of radioactive elements and the development of scientific fundamentals for the effective processing of non-traditional chemical raw materials. The main objects of research are uranium compounds of different degrees of oxidation, fission radionuclides, valuable components of structural materials that are in contact with nuclear fuel during its burning and processing.  Molten halides (chlorides, fluorides), sulfates, and polytungstates, alkali metal polymolybdates were investigated as solvents.

TheLaboratory of Electrocrystallization and High Temperature Galvanotechnicsis devoted to the development of ecologically pure and resource-saving electrochemical technologies and creation of test electrolyzers for high temperature galvanoplastics; study of thermodynamics and kinetics of electrode processes of ionization in ionic melts-electrolytes and its connection with electrolytes composition and type of electrode materials; development and investigation of novel oxidizing resistant materials; development of electrochemical processes of processed raw materials and man-caused wastes of non-ferrous industry and utilization of valuable components; investigation of electroreduction of polycrystal deposits of refractory and noble metals; development of processes for obtaining silicon and silicon-based nanomaterials; modellingof the