Alexander Volikov, PhD

About Me

I’m a PhD chemist with 15+ years in sustainable and applied chemistry, focused on turning chemistry into products and processes that work outside the lab. I develop tailored chemical solutions across the full development cycle — from synthesis concept through scale-up and pilot to field application.

I’ve delivered applied R&D for industrial clients including Nornickel (in-situ oil remediation) and the Irkutsk Oil Company (scale inhibitors), and my work has produced two patents. My technical home is humic substances, biostimulants, and micronutrient fertilizers, with hands-on expertise in organic and hydrothermal synthesis and a broad analytical toolkit (NMR, MS, XRD, SEM/TEM, HPLC/GC).

I currently lead a small international R&D team at the Max Planck Institute of Colloids and Interfaces, running projects end to end — milestones, resources, and budget — and mentoring junior researchers.