May 31 marks the 111th anniversary of the birth of the outstanding scientist, Honored Scientist, the first director of the Institute of Chemistry of Additives (ICA) Academician Ali Guliyev. Together with his teacher, academician Yusif Mammadaliyev, he was engaged in research on the process of obtaining alkyl gasoline, which was considered a high-quality aviation fuel. When World War II began, Ali Guliyev was removed from aviation gasoline research, which was the main work of the laboratory. In those years, the young researcher was given more responsible task, such as making scientific innovations in the production of anti-tank incendiary bottles for the front and improving the efficiency of existing ones.
AZERTAC reported that these ideas were included in the article “Founder of the School of Chemistry of Additives” by the Executive Director of academician Ali Guliyev Institute of Chemistry of Additives of the Ministry of Science and Education, Dr.Afsun Sujayev. The article mentions that one of the remarkable achievements of Ali Guliyev during the war years was the creation of anti-tank bottles, in other words, a new type of mixture for the “Molotov cocktail”. According to estimates, hundreds of thousands of bottles of the incendiary mixture prepared by him were sent to the front every year.
One of the tasks set by the military was the creation of hand grenades. Before being sent to the front, their technical inspection was carried out. As a result of one of the tests, a misfortune occurred – a grenade exploded in Ali Guliyev’s hands. He lost his right arm, his eyes were burned, and many organs were severely damaged. Although his vision was restored as a result of the treatment, the loss of his arm remained a bitter memory of the war that he and those around him never forgot. Despite such a physical and moral blow, this strong-willed man returned to his former job and worked twice as hard as two hands and achieved new achievements. An instructive fact that draws attention to him suggests that Academician Ali Guliyev worked both with his left hand and squeezed the right hand extended to him with his left hand. But those who were aware of this event extended their left hand to him in greeting.
To conduct targeted research in the field of synthesis and use of additives, at the suggestion of Yu.Mamedaliev, in 1945, a specialized laboratory was established at the Kuibyshev Oil Research Institute under the leadership of A.Guliyev. The fundamental research carried out by this team laid the foundations for the industrial production of additives in the country for the first time. Soon in this laboratory, for the first time in the USSR, a number of additives were created and introduced into production. In 1948 and 1950 A.Guliyev and a number of his employees were awarded the title of Laureate of the USSR State Prize for merits in the development and use of additives in industry. In addition to intensive research in the field of development and application of various types of additives in the laboratory, fundamental research in the field of additive chemistry has also been started. Considering the importance of the problem and achievements in the field of creation and use of additives, as well as important scientific results obtained on fundamental issues of additive chemistry, in 1965 on the basis of the Laboratory of Synthesis and Technology of Additives of the Institute of Petrochemical Processes of ANAS, the Institute of Chemistry of Additives was established.
Academician A.Guliyev was the director of the institute until 1987. Over the years, under his leadership, the institute has achieved outstanding achievements in the field of additive chemistry. Lubricants that ensure the normal operation of some special-purpose engines and transmission systems produced in the former Soviet Union were also created at the institute under the direct supervision and participation of Academician A.Guliyev on the basis of his additives. These strategically important oils are important for strengthening the defense capability of the republic. In 1971, Academician A.Guliyev and his staff were awarded the State Prize of the Azerbaijan SSR for the synthesis, development of technology, industrial use of new additives that improve the quality of motor oils obtained from Baku oil, and the creation of lubricant compositions based on them.
Academician A.Guliyev created a scientific school in the field of chemistry of additives for 50 years of his scientific activity. Among the graduates of his school there are 19 Doctors of Science and more than 60 Candidates of Science. A.Guliyev is the author of more than 600 scientific papers, including about 200 inventions and 10 monographs on topical issues of petrochemistry, chemistry of additives and organic chemistry. The monograph “Chemistry and Technology of Additives to Oils and Fuels”, published in 1972, was translated into Slovak and Hungarian. He represented Azerbaijan in a number of foreign scientific centers, scientific conferences, congresses and symposiums. In 1992, on the eve of the 80th anniversary of Academician A.Guliyev, the Institute of Chemistry of Additives was named after him.
Since 2013, the institute has established the “Academician Ali Guliyev Award for Youth”. Every year, one of the young scientists and specialists working at this institute receives an award. Last year, the institute hosted a high-level republican scientific conference dedicated to the 110th anniversary of Academician A.Guliyev on the topic “Organic substances and composite materials for various purposes.” All this is a duty of loyalty to the personality and science of Ali Guliyev, students of the school of chemistry of additives created by the great scientist, and his followers.