Sumitomo Electric Industries, Ltd.

Diamonds are often called “The King of Jewels” and

have been loved as jewelry by people. They are also

important for the manufacturing industry.

Artificial diamonds, first invented in the US in 1955,

are now used for pol ishing and gr inding hard

materials. In the exponential progress of product

manufacturing, technologies of processing finer and

smaller materials and parts have become necessary.

Also since materials to be processed have become

diversified, harder, and more complex, material

processing has become much more difficult. Therefore

artificial diamonds are expected and requested to be

harder and stronger in order to be used as tool

materials.

Sumitomo Electr ic Industr ies , Ltd . , the only

mass-production company of artificial diamonds in

Japan, succeeded in the mass production of the nano

polycrystal diamond, which was twice as hard as

ordinary ones, through an NEDO project. In 2011, it

began to sell cutting tools with “Sumidia Binderless”

and is almost reaching their goal of 1.2 billion yen in

sales in 2014.

August 2013

Sumitomo Electric Industries, Ltd.

Renovation of “Cutting, grinding, and Polishing”Hardest and Strongest “Super Diamond”Renovation of “Cutting, grinding, and Polishing”Hardest and Strongest “Super Diamond”

・Grant for Practical Application on Industrial Technology - SubsidizedProject for Practical Development of Next-Generation StrategicTechnology(FY2005-2006)

Inside the multi-anvil developed by Sumiya at Sumitomo ElectricIndustries, Ltd. for mass production of artificial diamonds

Cutting and polishing with ultra-hard alloy Sumidia Binderless

Characteristics of nano polycrystal diamond (NPD) and comparison with ordinary ones

Material Single crystal diamond (SCD) Sintered diamond (PCD)* Nano polycrystal diamond (NPD)

Structure or image

Processing accuracy

Hardness (Knoop)

Isotropy

Strength, defect resistance

Heat resistance (inert atmosphere)

Easy processingdirection Difficult processing

direction

Orientationdependent( )

Large orientation dependence

(111) Cleavage

Isotropic Isotropic

Diamondparticles

Diamondparticles

Bonding metal

Material

61

Showa Denko Ceramics Co., Ltd.TOTO LTD.Panasonic Corporation

Photocatalyst is a material that dissolves organic

stains or inactivates bacteria using solar light energy.

The material (oxide titanium, TiO2) was discovered in

1967 by Professor Akira Fujishima (President of Tokyo

University of Science, Special University Professor of

University of Tokyo), who was a graduate student at

that time, based on Honda-Fujishima effect of making

hydrogen from water. Since then, the material has

been developed and applied as photocatalyst born in

Japan. In 1995, a photo-induced hydrophilicity

phenomenon was discovered, which further expanded

the application. A familiar example is a white tent

sheet used on roofs of a dome stadium or an indoor

tennis court (sport facility). The white tent sheet does

not look dirty or become dark colored even after

being exposed wind or rain for a long period of time,

because it is coated with the photocatalyst.

So far the photocatalyst has been used outdoors. It

is because the photocatalyst functions by receiving

high-energy ultraviolet radiation contained in the

sunlight. In NEDO’s project “Project to Create

Photocatalyst Industry for Recycling-oriented Society”

in FY2007 to FY2012, a new visible light responsive

photocatalyst that could function with indoor light

such as fluorescent light was developed to expand the

use methods and application of the photocatalysts.

As a result , a new photocatalyst that could

inactivate 99.99% of bacteria and viruses in only one

hour with visible light having a lower energy than

ultraviolet light was created. In the future, the new

photocatalyst will be used successively to various

products fo r the rea l i za t ion o f san i ta ry and

comfortable living spaces.

February 2014

Development of Visible Light Responsive Photocatalyst for Indoor useProvision of Sanitary and Comfortable Living SpaceDevelopment of Visible Light Responsive Photocatalyst for Indoor useProvision of Sanitary and Comfortable Living Space

Showa Denko Ceramics Co., Ltd. / TOTO LTD. / Panasonic Corporation

Copper compound modifier tungsten oxide called LUMI-RESH CW of which Showa Denko Ceramics Co., Ltd. succeeded in mass production

Interior paint developed by TOTO with Showa Denko Ceramics’ copper compound modifier titanium oxide photocatalyst

Panasonic-developed transparent film coated with visible light responsive photocatalyst

・Project to Create Photocatalyst Industry for Recycling-oriented Society (FY2007-2012)

Material

62

ZEON CORPORATION

　In recent years, liquid crystal displays have replaced the Braun tube in mainstream television and personal computer displays. Although these displays are thin, bright and energy-efficient, in the early years of their release into the market issues such as changes in color tone, reduced contrast and poor image visibility would occur when the display was viewed from angles other than directly in front. These problems can be attributed to the optical deviation (phase differ-ence) in backlighting when the screen is viewed from the side. In mobile applications used outdoors, LCD displays also can be difficult to view because of light reflected off the screen.　LCD optical films enhance screen visibility by adjust-ing the light that filters through the screen as well as the light reflected off the screen. With support from the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) and NEDO, ZEON Corporation developed ZEONOR® Film, which features low double refraction and high-polarizing performance to deliver uniform polar-ization on wide film. This was achieved through the production of polarizing plates using roll-to-roll pasting technology that incorporates sequential biaxial stretching technology developed through this research and development, the first technology of its kind in the world.　For mobile applications such as smart phones, ZEON also developed the world’ s first diagonal stretching technology, which uses roll-to-roll pasting with the polarizing plates to minimize the reflection of exterior light. This has reduced the number of compo-nents required and enabled the development of thin low-cost polarizing plates. In addition to mobile devic-es, ZEON’ s diagonal stretching technology is also cur-rently being used in 3D TVs and is expected to be widely adopted for organic electroluminescence (EL) TVs to reduce glare.

December 2011

　There are two types of wide-viewing-angle film used in display screens manufactured through ZEON's sequential biaxial stretching process: cellulose and cyclo olefin. Today, ZEON accounts for 100% of the world's cyclo olefin film technology. The company also holds a 70% global market share for diagonally stretched film designed for mobile phone screens.

ZEON CORPORATION

Development of Film Improves Visibility of LCD Displays from any AngleDevelopment of Film Improves Visibility of LCD Displays from any Angle

・Grant for Practical Application Development of Industrial Technologies Through Industry-Academia Collaboration (Development of High-performance LCD TV Technology) (FY2002)

By overlapping optical films with the same optical characteristics perpendicularly, coloration produced by birefringence effects is eliminated. This principle is applied to LCD displays to maintain color tone and contrast.

Optical films precursor (COP resin)

Material

63

Hitachi Chemical Company, Ltd.

　The high performance that has emerged in recent years in electronic devices such as mobile phones, smartphones, tablets, mobile music players, etc., is quite remarkable. Indispensable to these products are sophisticatedly integrated semiconductor packages. Semiconductors are composed of silicon layers called semiconductor chips, on which electronic circuits are embedded. The more layers of silicon, the greater the semiconductor memory.　Contributing extensively to the increase in lamina-tion capabilities is an adhesive film called die bonding film, which enables multi-layer die stacking not achiev-able with conventional adhesives. This has led to remarkable progress in the development of compact large-capacity semiconductor memory. Through NEDO’ s R&D on Nanostructured Polymeric Materials project, Hitachi Chemical was among the first to suc-cessfully develop this die bonding film.　Today, Hitachi Chemical’s die bonding film is used worldwide, boasting annual sales of 10 billion yen and currently accounting for more than half of the global die bonding market. Many electronic devices that we use on a daily basis owe their high-performance to Hitachi Chemical’s die bonding film.

October 2011

Hitachi Chemical Company, Ltd.

Development of Die Bonding Film Contributes to High Performance in Electronic DevicesDevelopment of Die Bonding Film Contributes to High Performance in Electronic Devices

・R&D on Nanostructured Polymeric Materials / Developing High-performance Die Bonding (FY2001‒FY2007)

Semiconductor chip using a die bonding film

Semiconductor chip(die)

Die bondingfilm

Cross-section of semiconductor packageMultiple semiconductor chips (dies) are laminated and secured using Hitachi Chemical’s die bonding film.

Material

64

Toray Industries, Inc.

　High polymer materials starting with plastics are

superior in strength, impact resistance, workability,

and being light-weight, and are used in the exterior,

casing, mechanism element, and components of

various products. Needs for high polymer materials

are becoming more diverse and advanced, and

development of new materials using “polymer alloys

(alloying)” that combine different types of high

polymer materials is becoming active. However, with

conventionally known polymer alloys, it was difficult to

sufficiently bring out the characteristics held by each

of the polymer bodies prior to alloying. In view of this,

NEDO s ta r t ed t he “Prec i s i on H i gh Po l ymer

Technology” project in 2001. Toray Industries, Inc.

p a r t i c i p a t i n g i n t h e con cen t r a t ed s t ud i e s

(concentrated studies = a research and development

method where researchers of each of the participating

manufacturers come together in one research institute

such as a university) at Yamagata University as a

fabrication group, succeeded in developing a “a

special plastic wherein, a hard plastic, when impact is

applied thereto, becomes soft like rubber” by utilizing

the structural control technology of nanometer orders.

The new high polymer material having a characteristic

that has never been created in the past is gathering

attention in various fields such as safety components

of vehicle and sporting equipment, and is continuing

to evolve towards productization.

November 2012

Toray Industries, Inc.

Plastics that Soften when subject to High Speed and Strong ImpactPlastics that Soften when subject to High Speed and Strong Impact

・Precision High Polymer Technology Project (FY2001-FY2007)

As a result of a destruction test, a conventional product cracked while the impact absorbing nylon was only dented like an empty can. Recovery from this state is also possible.

Material

65

Toray Industries, Inc.

　Natural and synthetic fibers are indispensable in our daily lives, primarily for clothing, one of the main necessities we enjoy in daily life along with food and housing. While synthetic fibers with new functions are frequently introduced, plant fibers (cellulose) such as cotton have long been used in fabric production and are a time-honored favorite because cotton is an absorbent, breathable fiber. Plant fibers can be spun into threads directly or made into regenerated fibers or semi-synthetic fibers such as rayon through wet spinning, in which plant fibers are first dissolved into toxic organic solvents before spinning it into thread. With an increasing focus on environment preservation, expectations are mounting for development of an eco-friendly way to process these plant fibers.　Through this NEDO project, Toray Industries suc-cessfully developed the world’s first “melt spinning” method, which enables plant materials to be heated in a manner similar to petroleum-based synthetic fibers. Cellulose breaks down when heated; however, by chemically modifying part of its structure, it becomes thermoplastic, which enables melt spinning. This enables cellulose fiber to be transformed into material that can be spun into thread without using organic solvents. The fibers created through this process are lighter yet stronger than normal cellulose fibers. The speed of melt spinning is more than twice that of wet spinning, which aligns molecular chains in certain directions. The look and feel of fabrics such as rayon also is retained. As fiber cross-sections can be modi-fied in various ways, the creation of new cellulosic fibers with even greater functionality is anticipated. Women’s clothing made of the new material is cur-rently being sold in retail stores and is increasing in popularity in the apparel market.

November 2009

Toray Industries, Inc.

Melt-spinning Cellulose to Create Fiber Having Correct Cross-sectional ShapeMelt-spinning Cellulose to Create Fiber Having Correct Cross-sectional Shape

・Fundamental Technology Research Facilitation Program Research on New Natural Fiber Made by Melt Spinning (FY2002‒FY2006)

Women’s clothing with material made of FORESSE™.

Microscopic photo of fiber cross-sections (cross-sections are very thin, hollow and irregularly shaped)

Manufacturing process of FORESSE™

Synthetic fiber

Dissolution(organic solvent)

◎No organic solvent required

Petroleum, a resource being continuouslydepleted, is the main component.

Fossil material

Plant derived material(cellulose)

Refinement/synthesis

Monomer

Foresse™

Wet spinning

Melt spinning

PolymerizationFiberproducts

Nylonpolyesteracrylic

Thermoplasticized

Plant derived material (cellulose)

Material

66

JSOL Corporation

　Many of the exceptional products that surround us

owe their functional capabilities to polymers, which

are made up of a combination of molecules. Although

conductive polymers have been developed and are on

the market in Japan, Japanese manufacturers are one

step behind overseas competitors in terms of develop-

ment and commercialization. In the future, functional

polymers will play an increasingly significant role in

the items we use in our lives, including cars, air-

planes, home appliances and even medical sup-

plies.

　The use of computer simulations is indispensable in

developing various functional polymer materials in a

short period of time and with minimal labor, as well as

commercializing them as quickly as possible. However,

in order to understand the sophisticated properties of

polymers, there is a need to apply them over a wide

range of scales, from nano- to macro-level.

　Open computational tools for advanced material

technology (OCTA) has made this application possi-

ble. OCTA provides simulation functions at various

scales that are capable of calculating polymer struc-

tures, thermodynamic properties and phase-separated

structures. OCTA is used by research organizations

and university researchers in Japan and abroad, and

has become a standard simulator in this field.

　OCTA has further evolved into a commercial version,

J-OCTA, which has been enhanced to offer greater

ease of use for corporate engineers. Presently, it is

widely used by many leading chemical, automobile,

tire and elect ron ics manufacturers to enhance

the effic iency o f the i r mater ia l deve lopment

efforts.

February 2009

JSOL Corporation

Polymer Simulation for Enhancing the Efficiency of Material DevelopmentPolymer Simulation for Enhancing the Efficiency of Material Development

・Development of Advanced Functional Material Designing Platforms (FY1998‒FY2003)

■OCTA system

Simulationplatform

Mesoscale analysis engine

OCTA systemThe platform (GOURMET) enables reception /transmission of data at various hierarchies obtained by four simulation engines: COGNAC, PASTA, SUSHI and MUFFIN.

Material

67

NACHI-FUJIKOSHI CORP.

　Certain industries require that two objects be fitted together at a level of precision even smaller than one micrometer, which is 1/1000 of one millimeter. Opti-cal communications is one such industry. With optical connectors that are used as the joint of optical fibers, there is a need to join two optical fibers together with their centers aligned as closely as possible. This is to minimize the loss of optical information being trans-mitted. As a manufacturer of precision machinery, Nachi-Fujikoshi took on the challenge of improving the precision of molds that are used to produce one of the most vital components of an optical connector.　Optical connectors are made of quartz glass, the surface of which is marked with dozens of thin grooves called V-grooves. Each V-groove contains an optical fiber that branches out from the cable. The main method used for manufacturing optical connec-tors is to pour molten quartz glass into the mold, cool the quartz glass, and then remove it from the mold once it has solidified. To produce optical connectors with minimal optical loss due to axial deviation, there is a need to produce high-precision molds to ensure that the positions of these V-grooves can be accurate-ly marked.　With support from NEDO, Fujikoshi developed ma-chining technology capable of precisely marking V-grooves on cemented carbide molds that are used to make optical connectors. This ultra-precise process-ing equipment, called the slicer, applies technologies that were developed through this project. Since then, the company has manufactured and released a new precision slicing model, the SMG1515AP. As of April 2012, about 50 units were in operation not only in Japan, but throughout the world.

February 2012

NACHI-FUJIKOSHI CORP.

High Precision Machining Equipment Enabling Accurate Optical Connector Mold MarkingHigh Precision Machining Equipment Enabling Accurate Optical Connector Mold Marking

・Integrated Development of Mater ials and Processing Technology for High Precision Components (FY2002‒FY2006)

V60°-125 mm pitch mold produced using technology developed through this project

SMG1515AP developed and manufactured as a result of this projectIt has become the standard model for Fujikoshi’s slicing equipment

Material

68

ALPS ELECTRIC CO., LTD.

　As today’ s society seeks to become more sustainable and eco-friendly, electronic device performance also continues to improve each year. Likewise, manufacturers of the semiconductors and batteries that power these electronics are committed to developing even bet-ter-performing components. For high-performance semi-conductors to achieve their full capacity, the perfor-mance of periphery components must also be enhanced. Because the performance of a component depends strongly upon the materials from which it is made, com-ponents made of metal are reaching their breaking point, in that they are not able to perform at the levels required of today’s electronic devices. This has resulted in the need for the development of new materials. 　One such material is metallic glass, the result of amor-phous metal being subjected to certain conditions. Me-tallic glass was first discovered in 1990 by the Tohoku University Institute for Materials Research. During the mid-1990s, Alps Electric Co. was investigating new mate-rials to develop and in 1997 participated in NEDO’s project on Super Metal Technology Development for Manufacturing Amorphous-structured Materials (Con-trolled Cooling Technology). Through this project, Alps Electric developed a metallic glass that had all the prop-erties of conventional metal materials, such as rigidity, corrosion-resistance and soft magnetic properties, but was easy to form through moderate cooling. 　In 2000, just before the end of the five-year NEDO project, the company was seeking a way to develop me-tallic glass that could be mass-produced at a lower cost. The company discovered that solidifying powdered me-tallic glass using resin enabled the glass to be formed in any shape. The end result of this development effort was Liqualloy™ metallic glass.　Today, Liqualloy™ is used by many manufacturers to reduce noise in car navigation systems, one-segment tuners and mobile phones. Because development of this technology was carried out without a specific applica-tion in mind, many other uses for this material may be discovered in the future.

February 2009

ALPS ELECTRIC CO., LTD.

・Research and Development of Super Metal Technology (FY1997‒FY2001)

Liqualloy™ HMLXS Series̶magnetic sheet to support RFID antenna sensitivity Prevents malfunctions in osaifu-keitai (mobile wallets), Suica smart cards (IC cards), etc.

Liqualloy™ samples

Figure 2. Changes in state when amorphous metal　and　　　　 metallic glass are heated

Lowtemperature

Amorphous metal Amorphous

Tg: Glass transition temperature　Tx: Crystallization temperature

Defect Crystal grainboundary

Crystal Molten

Amorphous

Supercooled liquid region

Supercooledliquid Crystal MoltenMetallic glass

Hightemperature

Figure 1.　Properties of amorphous metalsConventional metals (crystal) Amorphous metals

Development of Metallic Glass for Improving Electronic Device PerformanceDevelopment of Metallic Glass for Improving Electronic Device Performance

Material

69

Panasonic Corporation

At present, 35 million low-insulated homes are said to existin Japan. 600,000 new homes are built each year. High ther-mal insulation of these homes raises hopes for a considerableenergy-saving effect by reducing the power consumed byhousehold appliances, including air conditioners. PanasonicCorporation used vacuum insulation material technology culti-vated through its experience with home appliances such asrefrigerators and thermo pots, to enter new markets, includinghousing materials. The company further improved the perfor-mance of its technology for development of new applications.Vacuum insulation panels contain thermal insulation materialthat reduces thermal conductivity by decompressing gas to anear-vacuum state. With a thickness of only 4 mm, thermalinsulation performance equivalent to that of glass wool with athickness of 100 mm can be achieved.This NEDO project helped Panasonic clarify its needs and

targets, which facilitated joint development with buildingmaterial manufacturer Achilles Corporation to attain severalambitious goals. Joint research with NEDO also enabled Pana-sonic, an appliance manufacturer with limited know-how orexperience in residential insulation materials, to establish afavorable environment for research and development of thisnew residential vacuum insulation material.Panasonic also succeeded in developing the Chip-Vacua

panel in which non-welded areas of a vacuum insulation panelare thermally welded to form 10cm square individual vacuuminsulation cells. In Chip-Vacua panels, even if there is a hole inone cell, the vacuum state of the rest of the panel is main-tained. Chip-Vacua vacuum insulation material is also flexibleand can be bent or rolled up. This is a great example of a

November 2010

product that evolved from a “clue” that was discovered at theproject site during research and development.During the joint development effort with NEDO, Panasonic

carried out substantive research on its vacuum insulationmaterial in five experimental homes, and obtained extensiveknow-how through its research. The technology was alsofeatured in the 2010 Guidelines for Improving Energy Efficien-cy in Existing Residential Buildings, the text used at the Insti-tute for Building Environment and Energy Conservation semi-nar in which representatives from building companies through-out Japan participated in. There are high expectations for thecontinued development of the Chip-Vacua panel by thoseinvolved in or interested in energy efficient residential con-struction.*Orders are not accepted abroad.

Vacuum Insulation Panel Contributes to Residential EnergyConservationVacuum Insulation Panel Contributes to Residential EnergyConservation

Panasonic Corporation

・Strategic Development of Technology for Efficient EnergyUtilization (FY2003‒FY2007)

V-pack board, the first hybrid insulated board in Japan using vacuum insulation panels “U-vacua”

Comparison of thickness between materialswith similar insulation performance

Glass wool100 mm

Urethane foam50 mm

Vacuum insulation material(U-Vacua) 4 mm

4 mm vacuum insulation panel has the same insulation performance as 100 mm of glass wool

Material

70

1

2

3 4

CASE

02Reported in：January,

February 2016Zeon Corporation / AISTCarbon Nanotube Capacitor Development Project, etc.

Success Story

10

Toward practical application of carbon nanotubes utilizing Japan’s world-leading new materials

Single-walled carbon nanotubes (CNTs) are new materials that were first discovered, developed, and manufactured in Japan, and they are the ultimate carbon fiber materials. The thinness of one piece is a surprising one-millionth of a millimeter. However, when compared to steel, the strength of a nanotube bundle is 20 times stronger, and when compared to copper, it has ten times the thermal conductivity and 1000 times the electrical conductivity. Such superior properties are greatly expected to be put to practical use in structural materials for automobiles and buildings, new semicon-ductor materials, and materials for high-performance electronic components.

Therefore, research related to the mass

production and practical application of CNTs has been advancing around the world, but the synthesis of materials with a high purity and sufficient length (elongation) necessary for practical application is techni-cally difficult, so many countries have not been successful. Under these circumstances, NEDO began the Carbon Nanotube Capacitor Develop-ment Project, which was carried out from 1998 to 2016. In addition to being used for the production of high-quality capacitators for electronics and many composite products, single-walled CNTs are expected to enable high-energy efficiency and high-energy savings for the realization of a low carbon society. Many countries are now aiming to solve the difficult problem of establishing technology for low cost mass production of single-walled CNTs not previously possible.

Beginning of industry, academia and government cooperation for develop-ment of a Super-Growth (SG) method

The basic technology for mass producing single-walled CNTs was first developed in NEDO’s Advanced Nanocarbon Application Project (FY2002-FY2005). In order for research and development to continue based on industry, academia, and govern-ment cooperation, Motoo Yumura of AIST worked hard to form a team to produce single-walled CNTs. Mr. Yumura first invited Sumio Iijima, who originally discovered CNTs, to AIST before the start of the project. He asked Mr. Iijima to be the project leader. Kenji Hata, who had been studying Chemi-cal Vapor Deposition (CVD) in the United States, was also asked to participate. During the project in 2004, the “Super-Growth method(SG method)”, an innovative

1. Opening ceremony for Zeon’s new Tokuyama factory completed in 2015. 2. A single-walled carbon nanotube developed by AIST and produced with the SG method. The first CNT was 5 mm square, about the size of a matchstick head. (Photo provided by AIST） 3. A supercapacitor employing a single-walled carbon nanotube developed in the Carbon Nanotube Capacitor Development Project carried out from FY2006 to FY2010.4. Substrate that was increased in size from 5 mm square, to 4 cm square, to A4 size, and then finally to 50 cm square. (Photo provided by Zeon Corporation)

The World’s First Mass Production Factory for Single-Walled Carbon Nanotubes Developed in Japan Starts Operation

Material

Topics CASE 02 Material

5

6

For The Future

11

method for synthesizing highly pure and long single-walled CNTs, was created.The key features of the SG method are its

production e�ciency and high level of purity. Compared to conventional methods, the SG method can synthesize CNTs 1000 times more e�ciently with a purity of 99.98%. With this method, single-walled CNTs are created on substrate. However, the substrate was initially as small as 5 mm square. In order to allow this method to be used for the mass production of CNTs, it was necessary to overcome major technological problems such as increasing the area of substrate and realizing continuous synthesis.

Therefore, Mr. Yumura and Mr. Hata chose Kohei Arakawa of Zeon Corporation to assist in the joint research. Mr. Arakawa had already been credited with several inventions as a CNT researcher, but he had to give up CNT research because of a shift in policy at his former employer. At the time, research and development of CNTs was a new initiative for Zeon Corpo-ration.

Success in expanding substrate to 50 cm squares leads to construction of factories for mass production

Recalling the passion that he had for his past work, Mr. Arakawa decided to join the Carbon Nanotube Capacitor Develop-ment Project (FY2006-FY2010) as the leader of technical development for mass production. In order to achieve e�ective cooperation among industry, academia, and government aiming at practical application of a production method, AIST identi�ed necessary human resources and Zeon Corporation recruited professionals

working in thermal �uid simulations and catalysts. This was important because technologies related to thermal �uid and catalysts were thought to be the key to successfully enlarging the size of substrate for enabling continuous synthe-sis. The utilization of such technologies increased the size of substrate from 5 mm square to 4 cm square, then to A4 size, and then to 50 cm square, which solved the problem of continuous synthesis. The technology for mass-producing single-walled CNTs was thus established.In 2010, the Project for Practical Applica-

tion of Carbon Nanomaterials for a Low Carbon Emission Society (FY2010-FY2016) was started with Mr. Yumura as the project leader. A group of companies aiming at practical application of CNTs also founded the Technology Research Association for Single-Wall Carbon Nanotubes (TASC). Zeon Corporation and AIST, as members of the association, promoted the development of practical application of single-walled CNTs through open innovation. In addition to technol-ogy for mass production, progress was also made regarding application products and safety management. Zeon Corpora-tion and AIST also succeeded in develop-ing composite materials that have superior heat tolerance and thermal and electrical conductivity by mixing single-walled CNTs with rubber, aluminum, and copper. As various types of samples were developed, the response to the need for single-walled CNTs was realized. Furthe-rmore, manuals necessary for the safe management of single-walled CNTs were compiled. The manuals were also used to explain to local governments and residents about the approaches to safety taken for constructing new factories

The world’s �rst factory

In November 2015, the ambitious goal of producing CNTs became a reality as Zeon Corporation completed the world’s �rst mass production factory for high-quality single-walled CNTs using the SG method. According to a survey conducted by the NEDO Techn-ological Strategy Center, the global market for CNTs is expected to expand to 66 billion yen by the year 2030. There are high expectations for Japan to produce numerous products that apply single-walled CNTs to help enrich the future of society

5. Mr. Kohei Arakawa reflecting upon NEDO’s project in front of Zeon’s new factory (Executive Technical Supervisor, Zeon Corporation). 6. On the left, Mr. Motoo Yumura (Prime Senior Researcher, CNT-Application Research Center, AIST). On the right, Mr. Kenji Hata (Director, CNT-Application Research Center, AIST)

■Carbon Nanotube Capacitor Development Project(FY2006-FY2010)NEDO’s Role

Over a period of 19 years from 1998 to 2016, NEDO carried out projects for the application of nanocarbon materials such as single-walled CNTs. In order to make necessary progress from basic technolo-gies to the application of these new materials, NEDO promoted project management that supported cooperation between various industrial, academic, and governmental organizations based on global conditions and trends in research and development.1) Flexible project execution

In order to gain a global competitive edge, budgets were executed ahead of

initial plans and budgets were added to accelerate projects. New themes were also implemented. For example, in order to respond to an increase in the need for safety management and technological development, the scope of projects was expanded. Furthermore, in addition to CNTs, research and development on graphene, a promising new material, was added, resulting in the successful produc-tion of sensors for particle accelerators.2) Providing samples and promoting practical application with strategic intellectual property rulesAs companies not participating in NEDO’s

projects were provided with samples developed through industrial-academic-governmental cooperation, they were encouraged to practically apply the new materials. In addition, intellectual property rules regarding the provision of samples, which prevent the obstruction of research activity conducted through industr ia l -academic-governmental cooperation, were drafted. As a result, over 100 samples were made available, which led to support for research and development and the realization of practical application and mass produ-ction

1

2

3 4

CASE

02Reported in：January,

February 2016Zeon Corporation / AISTCarbon Nanotube Capacitor Development Project, etc.

Success Story

10

Toward practical application of carbon nanotubes utilizing Japan’s world-leading new materials

Single-walled carbon nanotubes (CNTs) are new materials that were first discovered, developed, and manufactured in Japan, and they are the ultimate carbon fiber materials. The thinness of one piece is a surprising one-millionth of a millimeter. However, when compared to steel, the strength of a nanotube bundle is 20 times stronger, and when compared to copper, it has ten times the thermal conductivity and 1000 times the electrical conductivity. Such superior properties are greatly expected to be put to practical use in structural materials for automobiles and buildings, new semicon-ductor materials, and materials for high-performance electronic components.

Therefore, research related to the mass

production and practical application of CNTs has been advancing around the world, but the synthesis of materials with a high purity and sufficient length (elongation) necessary for practical application is techni-cally difficult, so many countries have not been successful.Under these circumstances, NEDO began

the Carbon Nanotube Capacitor Develop-ment Project, which was carried out from 1998 to 2016. In addition to being used for the production of high-quality capacitators for electronics and many composite products, single-walled CNTs are expected to enable high-energy efficiency and high-energy savings for the realization of a low carbon society. Many countries are now aiming to solve the difficult problem of establishing technology for low cost mass production of single-walled CNTs not previously possible.

Beginning of industry, academia and government cooperation for develop-ment of a Super-Growth (SG) method

The basic technology for mass producing single-walled CNTs was first developed in NEDO’s Advanced Nanocarbon Application Project (FY2002-FY2005). In order for research and development to continue based on industry, academia, and govern-ment cooperation, Motoo Yumura of AIST worked hard to form a team to produce single-walled CNTs. Mr. Yumura first invited Sumio Iijima, who originally discovered CNTs, to AIST before the start of the project. He asked Mr. Iijima to be the project leader. Kenji Hata, who had been studying Chemi-cal Vapor Deposition (CVD) in the United States, was also asked to participate. During the project in 2004, the “Super-Growth method(SG method)”, an innovative

1. Opening ceremony for Zeon’s new Tokuyama factory completed in 2015. 2. A single-walled carbon nanotube developed by AIST and produced with the SG method. The first CNT was 5 mm square, about the size of a matchstick head. (Photo provided by AIST）3. A supercapacitor employing a single-walled carbon nanotube developed in the Carbon Nanotube Capacitor Development Project carried out from FY2006 to FY2010. 4. Substrate that was increased in size from 5 mm square, to 4 cm square, to A4 size, and then finally to 50 cm square. (Photo provided by Zeon Corporation)

The World’s First Mass Production Factory for Single-Walled Carbon Nanotubes Developed in Japan Starts Operation

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method for synthesizing highly pure and long single-walled CNTs, was created. The key features of the SG method are its production efficiency and high level of purity. Compared to conventional meth-ods, the SG method can synthesize CNTs 1000 times more efficiently with a purity of 99.98%. With this method, single-walled CNTs are created on substrate. However, the substrate was initially as small as 5 mm square. In order to allow this method to be used for the mass production of CNTs, it was necessary to overcome major technological problems such as increasing the area of substrate and realizing continuous synthesis. Therefore, Mr. Yumura and Mr. Hata chose Kohei Arakawa of Zeon Corpora-tion to assist in the joint research. Mr. Arakawa had already been credited with several inventions as a CNT researcher, but he had to give up CNT research because of a shift in policy at his former employer. At the time, research and development of CNTs was a new initiative for Zeon Corporation.

Success in expanding substrate to 50 cm squares leads to construction of factories for mass production

Recalling the passion that he had for his past work, Mr. Arakawa decided to join the Carbon Nanotube Capacitor Devel-opment Project (FY2006-FY2010) as the leader of technical development for mass production. In order to achieve effective cooperation among industry, academia, and government aiming at practical application of a production method, AIST identified necessary human resources and Zeon Corporation recruited profes-sionals working in thermal fluid simula-

tions and catalysts. This was important because technologies related to thermal fluid and catalysts were thought to be the key to successfully enlarging the size of substrate for enabling continuous synthesis. The utilization of such technologies increased the size of substrate from 5 mm square to 4 cm square, then to A4 size, and then to 50 cm square, which solved the problem of continuous synthesis. The technology for mass-producing single-walled CNTs was thus established. In 2010, the Project for Practical Applica-tion of Carbon Nanomaterials for a Low Carbon Emission Society (FY2010-FY2016) was started with Mr. Yumura as the project leader. A group of companies aiming at practical application of CNTs also founded the Technology Research Association for Single-Wall Carbon Nanotubes (TASC). Zeon Corporation and AIST, as members of the association, promoted the development of practical application of single-walled CNTs through open innovation. In addition to technol-ogy for mass production, progress was also made regarding application products and safety management. Zeon Corpora-tion and AIST also succeeded in develop-ing composite materials that have superior heat tolerance and thermal and electrical conductivity by mixing single-walled CNTs with rubber, aluminum, and copper. As various types of samples were developed, the response to the need for single-walled CNTs was realized. Further-more, manuals necessary for the safe management of single-walled CNTs were compiled. The manuals were also used to explain to local governments and residents about the approaches to safety taken for constructing new factories.

The world’s first factory

In November 2015, the ambitious goal of producing CNTs became a reality as Zeon Corporation completed the world’s first mass production factory for high-quality single-walled CNTs using the SG method. Accord-ing to a survey conducted by the NEDO Technological Strategy Center, the global market for CNTs is expected to expand to 66 billion yen by the year 2030. There are high expectations for Japan to produce numerous products that apply single-walled CNTs to help enrich the future of society.

5. Mr. Kohei Arakawa reflecting upon NEDO’s project in front of Zeon’s new factory (Executive Technical Supervisor, Zeon Corporation). 6. On the left, Mr. Motoo Yumura (Prime Senior Researcher, CNT-Application Research Center, AIST). On the right, Mr. Kenji Hata (Director, CNT-Application Research Center, AIST)

■Carbon Nanotube Capacitor Development Project(FY2006-FY2010)NEDO’s Role

Over a period of 19 years from 1998 to 2016, NEDO carried out projects for the application of nanocarbon materials such as single-walled CNTs. In order to make necessary progress from basic technolo-gies to the application of these new materials, NEDO promoted project management that supported cooperation between various industrial, academic, and governmental organizations based on global conditions and trends in research and development.1) Flexible project execution In order to gain a global competitive edge, budgets were executed ahead of

initial plans and budgets were added to accelerate projects. New themes were also implemented. For example, in order to respond to an increase in the need for safety management and technological development, the scope of projects was expanded. Furthermore, in addition to CNTs, research and development on graphene, a promising new material, was added, resulting in the successful produc-tion of sensors for particle accelerators.2) Providing samples and promotingpractical application with strategicintellectual property rules As companies not participating in NEDO’s

projects were provided with samples developed through industrial-academic-governmental cooperation, they were encouraged to practically apply the new materials. In addition, intellectual property rules regarding the provision of samples, which prevent the obstruction of research activity conducted through industr ial-academic-governmental cooperation, were drafted. As a result, over 100 samples were made available, which led to support for research and development and the realization of practical application and mass produc-tion.

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In the chemical industry, the conventional way of manu-facturing chemical products has been to induce chemical reactions by applying heat and pressure from the outside. However, the research and development activities of this project resulted in innovative new manufacturing process-es for chemical products using microwave technology. This result, long considered difficult to achieve, led to the construction of the world’s first chemical plant using microwave technology.

The challenge of scaling-up of microwave reactors and designing manufacturing processes

Conventional manufacturing processes for chemical products using heat and pressure require vast amounts of energy. However, microwave-induced chemical reactions can cause thermal energy to be produced from materials being microwaved in the same way as a microwave oven and can thus save a significant amount of energy.Microwave Chemical Co., Ltd., a venture company spun off from Osaka University, joined a NEDO project in FY2007 with the goal of achieving commercial applica-tion of manufacturing processes that use microwave technology.The company confronted the two technical challenges of scaling up of microwave reactors and designing manufac-turing processes. To increase the size of reactors, the com-pany developed a horizontal-flow reactor based on the company’s own engineering technologies and know-how.

Since microwave absorption property differ depending on the microwave frequency, materials to be microwaved, and temperatures of materials, irradiation processes must be designed in advance. To do this, the company found it useful to apply its years of archived data detailing absorp-tion property which vary according to the combination of materials, temperatures, and microwave frequencies.

Construction of the world’s first microwave plant and development of products that can only be created by using microwave technology

Microwave Chemical overcame its two technical challeng-es and completed construction of the world’s first full-scale mass production plant using microwave technology in 2014. The plant had a huge impact on the chemical industry because its energy consumption was just one-third that of a conventional plant, the heating time one-tenth, and the plant footprint one-fifth. The company is now engaged in the research and develop-ment of graphene, silver nanowire, and other next-gener-ation materials to produce high value-added materials using its microwave platform technology.Microwave platform technology is expected to foster future innovation in the chemical industry.

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World’s First Commercialization of Mass Production Processes Using Microwave Technology

SUCCESS STORIESNEDO PROJECT SUCCESS STORIES 2017

Microwave Chemical’s lab on Suita campus of Osaka University

Reactor inside plantNew Energy Venture Business Technology Innovation Program

Microwave Chemical Co., Ltd.

Revolutionizing the Chemical Industry for the First Time in 100 Years

Conceptual diagram of horizontal microwave reactor(Data courtesy of Microwave Chemical Co., Ltd.)

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Plant where microwave technology is used