Petrianov-Sokolov, Igor

Born June 5 (18), 1907, in the village of Bol’shaia Iakshen’, in what is now Gorky Oblast. Soviet physical chemist. Academician of the Academy of Sciences of the USSR (1966; corresponding member, 1953). Hero of Socialist Labor (1971).

Since his graduation from Moscow State University in 1930, Petrianov-Sokolov has been working at the L. Ia. Karpov Physical Chemistry Institute, where he was appointed a division head in 1938. Since 1947 he has also been a professor at the D. I. Mendeleev Moscow Institute of Chemical Engineering. His main works are devoted to the study of aerodisperse systems. He devised new methods of studying such systems and studied the conditions of formation of electric charges in them and the effect of the charges on the stability of aerosols. He studied the laws of filtration of aerosols, invented new types of filtering materials, which found commercial application, and proposed materials designed for screening industrial and household noise.

Petrianov-Sokolov has been editor in chief of the journal Khimiia i zhizn’ (Chemistry and Life) since 1964. He was awarded the State Prize of the USSR in 1941, the Lenin Prize in 1966, and also three Orders of Lenin, three other orders, and medals.