The paper presents the results of field observations of electrical survey conducted using the method of dipole electrical sounding induced polarization (DES-IP) for the period 2018–2020. Earthquake data recorded by the Kaskelen seismic station (KASK) were used to assess the spatio-temporal relationship of changes in the geoelectric parameters of the section showing active geodynamics. The results of joint monitoring of geoelectric parameters and natural seismic field are presented.

Experimental studies of the selection of the most optimal homogenization, sample preparation procedure, and sample pressing parameters have been conducted. Reference samples were selected including eference standards with certified values of the content of elements and oxides. For enhancement of concentration ranges determined, 8 background samples with the most typical chemical composition in the STS territory were additionally selected. The content of elements in samples was certified by mass- and atomic emission spectrometry (ICP-MS and ICP-AES). Pressed pellets were prepared, a semi-quantitative X-ray fluorescent analysis (XRF analysis) of 8 samples with the known content was carried out by the ‘best detection’ to identify systematic discrepancies in determining compositions of samples using a destructive and non-destructive analytical technique and sample preparation.

This article presents an analysis of thermal state of a fuel element of the WCTC-LEU of the IVG.1M reactor implemented for a case when a fuel matrix is separated from the fuel cladding along a short side of the blade. Technology of a fuel element manufacture for the modernized core considers presence of non-uniformity in microstructure. To evaluate how separations of a typical size affects the thermal mode of fuel element operation, temperature fields in cross-sections of the fuel element have been calculated. Thermophysical calculations were conducted using the finite element method with ANSYS program complex. Based on the variants calculation, it was obtained data on the effect of the separation on temperature field distribution of the fuel element during the IVG.1M reactor running at design and nominal power.

The article presents data on the content and assessment of parameters of artificial ¹³⁷Cs and ⁹⁰Sr accumulation by steppe motley grasses in the fallout area in borehole 101 of the former ‘Sary-Uzen’ testing site of the Semipalatinsk Test Site (STS). ¹³⁷Cs activity concentration in land cover of the study area was found to reach 2,700 Bq/kg, ⁹⁰Sr – up to 3,370 Bq/kg. The ranges of Tf values for ¹³⁷Cs (0.0030-0.021) and ⁹⁰Sr (0.064-0.36) are one order of magnitude each. ⁹⁰Sr is most accumulated in plants. Its Tf maxima are noted in the dump zone of the explosion crater. No Tf variation dependences on the distance from ground zero were found for either radionuclide. At the same time, Tf values are one order of magnitude higher than the ones previously obtained for ground zeros of aboveground nuclear tests and one order of magnitude lower than Tf values for these radionuclides obtained as a whole for pastures as reported by IAEA.

The article addresses the pattern of vertical distribution of the major long-lived man-made radionuclides ¹³⁷Cs, ²⁴¹Am, ⁹⁰Sr and ^239+240Pu in soils of the Semipalatinsk Test Site. Areas of different contamination with radionuclides are discussed – places of aboveground nuclear and fusion tests conducted at the ‘Experimental Field’ site, the fallout in the form of plumes within the Semipalatinsk Test Site, areas of radiological warfare agent tests at the ‘4А’ site, areas of meadow ecosystems associated with radioactively contaminated water streams from test adits of the ‘Degelen’ testing site, conventionally ‘background’ areas of the test site, in which no nuclear or fusion tests were conducted. In the course of research, differences were revealed in the vertical distribution of radionuclides of interest in soils of the above areas. Differences are attributed to the pattern of how contamination with radionuclides is formed and to abiotic and biotic factors such as physical and chemical soil properties, moistening conditions, human activity and others. Based upon findings, recommendations were developed, aimed at the optimization of research into the vertical distribution of radionuclides in the soil cover of the former Semipalatinsk test Site. In particular, it was found that when undertaking such research, it was sufficient to confine oneself to dividing a territory by the soil type and restrict the research depth to 30 cm.

The implementation of the IAEA safeguards in the non-nuclear weapon state party to the NPT (Non-Proliferation Treaty) that has imported the fast-neutron reactor with nuclear fuel cycle facilities is considered. The features of fast reactors that should be taken into account when preparing them for export together with CNFC technologies considering the implementation of IAEA safeguards in the importing state, are noted. These include high mass fraction of plutonium in fresh fuel loads and handling of a large amounts of fissile materials in the technological cycles of reprocessing spent nuclear fuel. It is concluded that it is possible to implement the effective IAEA safeguards in the state importing such reactor and nuclear fuel cycle facilities considering their physical and design features and innovative technologies, including those used in the IAEA safeguards implementation.

Recently, layered double hydroxides (LDHs) have been developed for more potential applications in various industry fields. Many synthesis methods of LDHs in the literature have been considered and classified by changing properties. However, the property change by the synthesis method does not happen in the same way in all LDHs. Also, when LDH with the same composition is synthesized by the same synthesis method, it is possible to obtain LDHs with the same composition but different properties due to the change of reaction parameters. Recently, the doping of semiconductor nanocomposites with different element atoms has led to new properties. The effect of the elements used in the doping process on the properties of zinc-containing LDHs was investigated and explained in the review article. The synthesis's techniques differ from each other by the reaction parameters and they impact the crystal structure, physicochemical properties, and morphology of LDHs. Finding more additional effects of doping processes and doping elements' nature on the zinc-containing LDHs' properties, the synthesis procedures, and the determination of reaction parameters are shown in this review article. It was revealed that rare earth elements are not selected as three valence metals for the main structure of LDHs, they are mainly used as a doping element which is replaced by three valence metals (Al, Cr, Ti, Fe(III)) as dopants because of the ionic radius and various factors.

The paper is dedicated to development of log of the ANSYS FLUENT program text commands. Although this program has well-developed and easy-to use graphical interface, command logs allow to conduct the configurations of the solver, optimizing the process of calculation justification safety of reactor experiments conducted at the “Institute of Atomic Energy” Branch of the RSE “National Nuclear Center of the Republic of Kazakhstan” (IAE Branch RSE NNC RK). Command logs allows to control the command to save the ANSYS FLUENT program solver as code in a separate file, which can later be used for other calculations. Command log allows to save settings the ANSYS FLUENT program solver as program code in a separate file, which can later be redacted and used for other calculations. Also, this would enable improving the group work of employees above one project, facilitate the exchange process of solver parameters and promptly make amendments and corrections. In the framework of this work, a technique for constructing a command log was developed for modeling thermophysical state of experimental devices in reactor experiments. The developed technique was tested on the example of solving a thermophysical task with a typical ED.

The article presents data on monitoring the ecological state of surface waters in the city of Nur-Sultan (Republic of Kazakhstan) on the example of the Yesil River, taking into account published data. The content of oxygen, anions and cations was studied in two sections of the Yesil River - at the exit from the Vyacheslav reservoir and in the city of NurSultan under the bridge on the Triathlon Park. Samples were analyzed during the year from April 2021 to April 2022. Samples were taken monthly. Anions and cations were analyzed by ion chromatography. A systematic excess of MPC standards for the content of sodium, sulfates and chlorides was established. The content of nitrates and ammonium does not exceed the MPC. The reason is the influence of both agriculture and the utility sector of the city of Nur-Sultan.

The article presents the results of the development of new composite materials obtained from coal fly ash (CFA) by the Fusion method.
The composite materials are doped with silver nanoparticles and characterized using advanced characterization methods, namely XRD, SEM-EDS, XRF. In the course of obtaining synthetic zeolites based on CFA, structural modification was carried out to quickly bind zeolites with mercury when it was removed from the aqueous medium and improve the physicochemical properties. The synthesized nanocomposites were used to remove Hg from aqueous solutions with different pH. It was found that the equilibrium of the adsorption capacity for synthetic zeolites occurs after about 2 weeks, while for the original CFA it is reached within a month. Preliminary results show a significantly high removal of mercury from the solution – from 80 to 90% of mercury ions.

The paper highlights the issues of the ionizing radiation occurrence at electrophysical installations, their properties, substantiates, the need to equip the KTM Tokamak installation with a stationary, automated radiation field monitoring system, offers a set of engineering solutions based on the results of the analysis of irradiation monitoring data and general irradiation safety requirements. It is shown that the proposed solutions will allow recording the process of occurrence and parameters of the ionizing irradiation, as well as monitoring the irradiation situation during the experimental work on the KTM Tokamak installation.

The purpose of this work is to study the processes of phase formation in the samples (1-x)ZrO₂ – xAl₂O₃ ceramics depending on the variation of the oxide components, as well as to establish changes in the structural parameters and degree of crystallinity. The choice of zirconium and aluminum oxides as the basis for cer-cer inert matrices for nuclear fuel is due to their physical, chemical, structural and mechanical properties, the combination of which will produce a new type of ceramics with great potential in the field of nuclear fuel. These oxide compounds have high thermal stability and resistance to high temperatures, which also allows their use as a basis for disperse nuclear fuel for new-generation hightemperature nuclear reactors. The method of mechanochemical milling followed by thermal annealing was chosen to obtain ceramics based on oxide compounds. The choice of grinding conditions, as well as the subsequent thermal annealing was chosen to initiate the processes of phase transformations and structural changes as a result of thermal influence and partial relaxation of the deformation distortions and metastable formations initiated during grinding. The X-ray diffraction method was chosen as the main method to study the processes of phase transformation and structural changes. During the studies it was found that the addition of aluminum oxide leads to the structural ordering of the main monocline phase ZrO₂, as well as the formation of solid solutions of substitution and introduction. At equal concentrations of the oxide components using the method of X-ray phase analysis was established polymorphic phase transformation in zirconium dioxide, the presence of which indicates the processes of phase transformation arising from the addition of zirconium oxide and changes in the phase formation processes.

A nuclear reactor is a complex engineering and technical installation that generates radiation. Because of this, the experimental measurement of the radiation characteristics of a nuclear reactor is a difficult task, and in some cases technically impossible. The modern development of calculation codes and tools makes it possible to determine the radiation characteristics of a nuclear reactor with sufficient accuracy and reliability. Due to this, computational modeling of physical processes occurring in a nuclear reactor has become one of the main scientific research methods. The WWRK reactor is a multi-purpose research reactor with a large number of vertical and horizontal irradiation positions used for a wide range of scientific and applied problems. The irradiation position with the largest dimensions in the WWR-K reactor is the niche of experimental devices, which makes it possible to irradiate objects up to 1000 mm in diameter. This position is considered as a candidate for neutron transmutation doping of silicon ingots with a diameter of more than 200 mm. The article presents the radiation characteristics for the current and modernized configuration of the niche of the experimental devices of the WWR-K reactor. It is shown that the upgrade of the configuration leads to an improvement in the neutron characteristics in the irradiated position.

Intensive research of nanocomposites contributes to the development of new materials in the fields of medicine, nanoelectronics, high dielectric materials, energy, biotechnology and information technology. Therefore, the synthesis of new materials by modifying of grapheme oxide with nanostarch and the study of its properties are of great interest. In this study, nanocomposite membrane was synthesized by modifying of graphene oxide in a 1:1 volume ratio with nanostarch and their chemical structures were studied by fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy and ultraviolet spectroscopy. The results of the study showed the absorption of the etheric bond C=O in the ultraviolet spectrum at full length was 243 nm. The infrared spectrum showed new etheric bonds O=C-OH at a wavelength of 1150 cm^-1. The scanning electron microscopy analysis indicates that grapheme oxide is homogeneously coated by starch, it means that nanostarch was successfully polymerized on the surfaces of graphene oxide nanosheets and formed sandwich-like structures. The X-Ray diffraction analysis indicatedthat the crystalline structure changes to amorphous to a certain extent due to the ester bond formed between graphene oxide and starch. The electrical properties showed the resistivity of the initial graphene oxide was ρ = 5.53·10³ Ohm·m and after its modification by starch, the resistivity of the graphene oxide/starch membrane increased by 2 orders, which was equal to 2.59·10⁵ Ohm·m. According to the results, high dielectric materials are very important in electrical and electronics engineering. Therefore, there is no doubt that there will be great interest in this field.