We are very grateful to late Professor Mikhail Zinovievich Iofa (1942-2022) for the copies of very rare photos and documents, and for his sincere feeling in respect to the history of Moscow University.
Zinovyi Aleksandrovich (Zalman Aizikovich) Iofa (1895-1990) was the 1922 graduate of Moscow University. His role in the development of electrochemistry in this institution is literally unique. He connected Spitalsky and Frumkin periods, and supervised the vast majority of students at the Dept of electrochemistry at least during two first decades of its existence. He worked in both basic and applied directions, and developed many of the experimental techniques later used at the Department. He was uniquely friendly and helpful person, and also extremely modest.
A photo with Evgenyi I. Spitalskyi (left) is from pre-Frumkin period, supposedly taken in 1925-1927. They worked on electrosynthesis of chlorates/perchlorates, and also on fabrication of inorganic dyes. The closest Iofa’s collaborator of that period was Lipa L’vovich Klyachko-Gurvich (1896-1959). Later they also worked together on lead battery during WWII, being moved to Tajikistan. Iofa’s thesis …
This is a photo from the local Moscow University newspaper N 13 (630) from March 23, 1941, in which Iofa’s notice was published, dedicated to Frumkin’s state award. The notice reports that about 150 electrochemists already graduated during the 10-year period.
List of publications (under construction)
- Iofa Z.A., Klyachko-Gurvich L.L. Fabrication of the copper acetate // Zhurnal Prikladnoi Khimii. 1930. V.3. P. 361-365, in Russian. This is indirect translation of the title, in which specific Russian nomenclature of substances was used. The target salt is Cu(II) acetate, being of interest as a dye. The article is submitted already after Spitalsky’s arrest, and the first footnote mentions Spitalsky’s supervision of this work (the same for the next article).
- Spitalsky E, Jofa S. Direkte oxydimetrische Bestimmung von Perchlorat neben großen Mengen von Chlorat und Chlorid // Z. anorg. allgem. Chem. 1928. V. 169. P. 309-318.
- Iofa Z.A., Kobrin S.M., Klyachko L.L. Fabrication of hydroxo cupric dye from the copper acetate // Zhurnal Prikladnoi Khimii. 1930. V. 3. P. 366-374, in Russian. Again, translation is indirect, fabrication of Cu(II) hydroxoacetate from Cu(II) acetate is considered.
- Iofa Z.A. Electrochemical dissolution of lead using dual flow-type diaphragms // Zhurnal Prikladnoi Khimii. 1935. V. 8. P. 397-411, in Russian. Abstract in English.
- Iofa Z.A. The obtaining of crystal[line] litharge in aqueous medium // Zhurnal Prikladnoi Khimii. 1935. V. 8. P. 412-424, in Russian. Abstract in English.
- Iofa Z.A., Bruzkus E.B., Vengerova W.J. Electrochemical purification of phosphoric acid // Zhurnal Prikladnoi Khimii. 1935. V. 8. P. 840-847, in Russian. Abstract in English. This article is affiliated with the Institute of Fertilizers. Elena Borisovna Bruz<ts>kus (1897-1974) was an expert in technology of phosphate fertilizers.
- Kabanov B, Jofa S. The hydrogen overvoltage on lead and the capacity of the lead electrode // Acta Physicochimica URSS. 1939. V.10, P. 617-629.
- Jofa S. The overvoltage on a mercury cathode in concentrated solutions of acids. I. Hydrochloric and hydrobromic acids // Acta Physicochimica URSS. 1939. V.10. P. 900-912.
- Iofa Z.A., Moisseeva N.B., Mirlina S.Ya., Krymakova E.E. On the formation of hydrogen peroxide in the alkaline carbon element with air depolarization // Zhurnal Prikladnoi Khimii. 1948. V. 21. P. 329-340, in Russian.
- Iofa Z.A., Mirlina S.Ya., Moisseyeva N.B. The study of the processes on zink electrode of the alkaline element // Zhurnal Prikladnoi Khimii. 1949. V. 22. P. 983-994, in Russian.
- Nikiforova M.M., Iofa Z.A. Passivation and depassivation of the lead anode in concentrated hydrofluorosilicic, perchloric, and tetrafluoroboric acids. Doklady Akademii Nauk SSSR. 1957. V. 115. P. 1131-1134, in Russian.
- Iofa Z.A. Adsorption of sulphur on iron from acid solutions of hydrogen sulphide // Doklady Akademii Nauk SSSR. 1958. V. 119. P. 971-974, in Russian.
- Hua Bao-din, Shen Sin-su, Iofa Z.A., Mikhailova E.I. The effect of halogen ions on the corrosion of spotless steel 18-8 in sulphuric acid // Doklady Akademii Nauk SSSR. 1960. V. 130. P. 129–132, in Russian. Two first authors were from Changchun Institute of Applied chemistry (China). Baoding Hua became a victim of Cultural revolution in 1968, see Xingsu Shen’s memorial text here. Emma Ivanovna Mikhailova worked at the Dept of electrochemistry up to her retirement in 1980s.
- Tza Chuan-sin, Iofa Z.A. Investigation of the adsorption of surface active ions on a zinc electrode by measuring the differential capacitance // Doklady Akademii Nauk SSSR. 1960. V. 131. P. 137-140, in Russian. The first author is Chuansin Cha (1925-2019), who had been a visiting scientst in Moscow in 1957-1959, and later became very important person in Chinese electrochemistry.
- Ivanov V.F., Iofa Z.A. The study of the kinetics of iron electroreduction on the dropping mercury electrode // Doklady Akademii Nauk SSSR. 1961. V. 137. P. 1149-1152, in Russian.
- Sobol V.V., Iofa Z.A. The study of the iron electrode surface by measuring the potential decay after current interruption // Doklady Akademii Nauk SSSR. 1961. V. 138. P. 1151-1154, in Russian.
- Ivanov V.F., Iofa Z.A. On the formation of amalgams of the iron group metals on the dropping mercury electrode // Doklady Akademii Nauk SSSR. 1961. V. 140. P. 1368-1371, in Russian.
- Korshunov V.N., Iofa Z.A. On the kinetics of alkali metal amalgams decomposition in the alkaline electrolyte solutions // Doklady Akademii Nauk SSSR. 1961. V. 141. P. 143-146, in Russian.
- Frumkin A.N., Korshunov V.N., Iofa Z.A. On the kinetics of alkali metal amalgams decomposition in buffered solutions // Doklady Akademii Nauk SSSR. 1961. V. 141. P. 413-416, in Russian.
- Iofa Z.A., Tomashova G.N. // Joint action of hydrogen sulfide and organic compounds on corrosion and embrittlement of iron in sulfuric acid // Zhurnal Fizicheskoi Khimii. 1960. V .34. P. 1036-1043, in Russian. Translation: Corrosion. 1963. V. 19. P. 12t-16t.
- Maznichenko E.A., Damaskin B.B., Iofa Z.A. The effect of alkali metal cations on the hydrogen overvoltage on mercury in acidic solutions // Doklady Akademii Nauk SSSR. 1961. V. 138. P. 1377-1380, in Russian.
- Iofa Z.A., Batrakov V.V., Cho-Ngok-Ba. Influence of anion adsorption on the action of inhibitors on the acid corrosion of iron and cobalt // Electrochim. Acta. 1964. V. 9. P. 1645-1653.
- Kurygina D.V., Iofa Z.A. Calcium electrode of galvanic element in methanolic solutions // In: Protective metallic and oxide coatings, metals corrosion, and the studies in electrochemistry (Fedotyev N.P. (ed.)), 1965, Moscow-Leningrad: Nauka Publ. P. 270 – ?
- Iofa Z.A., Batrakov V.V., Nikiforova Yu.A. On the influence of deformation and heat treatment of Fe on adsorption and action of corrosion inhibitors // Corrosion Sci. 1968. V. 8. P. 573-582.