Hitachi Zosen Corp. (TYO:7004) has developed a film-forming system that enables super engineering plastics to be processed at a thickness of 10 micrometers. While companies have conventionally struggled to make such films thinner than 20 micrometers, Hitachi Zosen’s proprietary system uses an elastic metal roll, vertical stretching machine and extruder with a maximum heating temperature...
Materials
Unitika Eyes Expansion for Glass Fiber Business
Unitika Ltd. (TYO:3103) plans to ramp up its glass fiber business, which the company has in place for integrated circuit (IC) cloth and industrial material applications – with sales an approximate fifty–fifty split between these. Unitika aims now to increase its ratio of overseas sales by a further 10 percent. Driving the company’s endeavor here...
Hitachi to Offer Materials Development Solution Using Materials Informatics
Hitachi Ltd. (TYO:6501) has created a new service that employs artificial intelligence to help cut the time and cost of new materials development. Hitachi will offer its “Materials Development Solution” as part of its Lumada IoT platform product. Materials informatics (MI) technology can be utilized to help make the search for and testing of new...
Murata Looks to Bolster LiB Business
Murata Manufacturing Co. Ltd. (TYO:6981) plans to strengthen its position in batteries after acquiring a business from the Sony Group on Sept. 1. The Japanese components maker hopes to be back in the black in fiscal 2019 by focusing on the energy sector. Murata will execute a two-pronged strategy consisting of external sales of lithium-ion...
Sumitomo Osaka Cement Develops High-Voltage Positive Electrode Material for LiBs
Sumitomo Osaka Cement Co. Ltd. (TYO:5232) has developed iron phosphate-based high-voltage positive electrode material for lithium-ion secondary batteries (LiBs). The firm successfully developed this by combining lithium iron phosphate (LFP) with manganese (M) to ensure both a high degree of safety and high voltage. Commercialization is aimed for 2019. The newly developed LFMP supports the...
Showa Denko President: Acquiring SGL Graphite Electrode Business Will Secure 10B Yen in Annual Profits
Showa Denko KK (TYO:4004) held a press conference on Oct. 6 concerning the company’s completed acquisition of SGL Carbon SE’s graphite electrode business. Showa Denko President Kohei Morikawa said that integration of the German company’s business will help make it possible to become the top supplier in all aspects of the graphite electrode domain, from...
Mitsui Chemicals to Commercialize Multi-Material in Europe for Next-Generation Automobiles
Mitsui Chemicals Inc. (TYO:4183) is losing no time in bringing next-generation automotive materials to market. The firm plans this fiscal year to start commercializing a multi-material, which integrates carbon fiber composite material with metal. Europe is the prime candidate for its launch. Accounting for 40 percent of the firm’s earnings, Mitsui Chemicals’ automotive business is...
Mitsubishi Chemical Develops Transparent Film with Epoxy Resin
Mitsubishi Chemical Corp. has developed a highly transparent film using special epoxy resin. In addition to full bendability and elasticity, the film’s surface can be etched with circuit patterns of silver, conductive polymers and other materials. Mitsubishi Chemical envisions applications such as substrate materials for flexible organic light-emitting diode (OLED) displays and wearable devices. Thermosetting...
Sharp Develops Integrated Car Instrument Panel Using Free-Form Displays
Sharp Corp. (TYO:6753) plans to ramp up its efforts to find takers in the automotive market for its free-form LCD technology that enables non-rectangular and curved screen designs. The company has developed an integrated instrument panel that connects two in-vehicle displays and can be fitted entirely within the panel section. The connected free-form displays allow...
Kyushu University Announces Organic Phosphorescent System Without Rare Metals
A Kyushu University research group has announced the world’s first phosphorescent system to use organic materials. Leading this group are Assistant Professor Ryota Kabe and Professor Chihaya Adachi from the university’s Center for Organic Photonics and Electronics Research (OPERA). The light-absorbing system combines electron donor materials and electron acceptor materials in a fixed ratio, and...
Sekisui Chemical to Boost Cross-Linked High-Expansion Polyolefin Foam Production
Sekisui Chemical Co. Ltd. (TYO:4204) plans to increase its global production of cross-linked high-expansion polyolefin foam, which offers outstanding flexibility and insulation performance. The firm intends to expand production capacity by 5 percent from the current level to reach in excess of 400 million square meters by fiscal 2019. Sekisui Chemical boasts the top market...
TIRI Finds New Functionality for CFRP
The Tokyo Metropolitan Industrial Technology Research Institute (TIRI) has developed a technology that gives carbon fiber reinforced plastic (CFRP) new functionality for use in apparel products using common screen printing methods. The Tokyo-based organization is the first to use printing technology for CFRP reforming and has shown that improvements can be made in impact resistance...
Mitsui Kinzoku Ramps up Operations in Next-Gen Electric Car Battery Materials
Mitsui Mining and Smelting Co. Ltd. (TYO:5706), commonly known as Mitsui Kinzoku, plans to accelerate its commercialization of next-generation lithium-ion battery (LiB) materials for use in automobiles. After having put together this past spring a solid electrolyte prototyping plant at its Engineering Materials Sector R&D Center in Saitama Prefecture, Mitsui Kinzoku is now developing high-capacity,...
Mitsubishi Chemical’s New Adhesive Resin Bonds PP and PVC via Co-Extrusion Molding
Mitsubishi Chemical Corp. has developed a new grade of adhesive resin that can bond polypropylene (PP) and vinyl chloride resin (PVC) via co-extrusion molding. While PP and PVC are both resins with numerous applications, they have very different properties that require the use of solvents and extra steps in order to bond them together. Mitsubishi...
New iPhone X Represents Growing Opportunity for Japanese Chemical Manufacturers
Apple Inc. has adopted in its new iPhone X an edge-to-edge OLED screen that covers the device’s entire surface. In addition to the U.S. company and its South Korean competitors, Chinese smartphone manufacturers also have been moving to adopt OLED displays. The trend represents a reversal in the smartphone flat-panel display market, shifting favorability from...
Nippon Paper to Mass-Produce CNF for Food, Cosmetic Applications
Nippon Paper Industries Co. Ltd. (TYO:3863) announced on Sept. 26 that mass production of cellulose nanofiber (CNF) for food and cosmetic applications will begin at the end of this month at its Gotsu mill in Shimane Prefecture. At the opening of its new production facility on the day of the announcement, Nippon Paper President Fumio...
Idemitsu and Toray to Team up on Organic EL Materials Development
Idemitsu Kosan Co. Ltd. (TYO:5019) and Toray Industries Inc. (TYO:3402) announced on Sept. 26 that they will collaborate on an organic electroluminescent (EL) materials project focusing on the development of new materials and material evaluation. Utilizing their assets in this sector, such as evaluation equipment and production facilities, the firms seek to develop material that...
JCFA Predicts Global Conductive Textiles Market to Exceed $2.1B by 2021
The global conductive textiles market is expected to double in value from 2016 to reach $2.11 billion by 2021, climbing at an annual rate of 15.6 percent, according to a report by the Japan Chemical Fibers Association (JCFA). Woven fabric is the most common of textiles in this market, as it is utilized for a...
China Jushi Eyes Scaling up Global Glass Fiber Production
China Jushi Co. Ltd. is aggressively going about expanding its global market share in glass fiber manufacturing. A world-leading manufacturer in this domain, the company this year has increased capacity at its main plant in China, bringing total production capacity to 1.4 million tons. The company is angling to capture a 30 per cent market...
Showa Denko to Boost Thermosetting Molding Material Production in Asia
Showa Denko KK (TYO:4004) plans to increase its Asian production of thermosetting molding material, which is used in automobiles and electrical appliances. A 20 percent increase in production in Thailand is due to be completed at the end of 2017, and Showa Denko intends also to nearly double production capacity across its Chinese bases going...
