DIC and AIST Establish Sustainable Materials Collaborative Research Laboratory —Facility will work to develop recyclable functional materials that contribute to sustainability—

  • R&D
  • News Release
Feb. 26, 2020
#SDGs #ESG #Sustainability

・ Facilitate the chemical recycling of functional materials into new raw materials
・ Develop functional materials made from naturally derived raw materials
・ Promote the development of functional materials that contribute to sustainability through the integration of technologies

The National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST) and DIC Corporation announced today that they have partnered to establish the DIC–AIST Sustainable Materials Collaborative Research Laboratory within AIST’s Department of Materials and Chemistry and have commenced joint research.

The new collaborative research laboratory will integrate the basic technologies of DIC and AIST to develop functional materials guided by two key concepts—chemical recycling and biorefinery—and will target processes that facilitate the chemical recycling of functional materials into new raw materials, as well as promote the development of functional materials made from naturally derived raw materials along with technologies for evaluating such materials. Through such efforts, the laboratory will endeavor to create recyclable functional materials and, by doing so, play a role in the realization of a more sustainable, environment-friendly circular economy. (See glossary below.)

Concept behind DIC–AIST Sustainable Materials Collaborative Research Laboratory

Given the increasingly diverse array of challenges facing the industry today, including climate change and escalating social and environmental imperatives, the concept of sustainable development is taking on greater urgency. In the area of functional materials, there is an intensifying need for technologies that can help address global warming, environmental impact, resource depletion and other concerns.

The DIC–AIST Sustainable Materials Collaborative Research Laboratory will further accelerate the development of carbon-neutral biobased materials that contribute to efforts to curb global warming, as well as biodegradable materials with a reduced environmental impact that help resolve issues such as marine plastics. At the same time, the laboratory will develop technologies that expedite the recovery and recycling of such functional materials into new raw materials.

The new laboratory has two bases, located at AIST’s Tsukuba and Kansai sites, respectively, which will concurrently conduct R&D in multiple areas. AIST boasts outstanding technologies in the area of catalytic chemistry and the creation of functional materials from biomass using catalytic chemistry at AIST Tsukuba, and in the synthesis, evaluation and analysis of biodegradable polymers at AIST Kansai. The laboratory will combine these technologies with DIC’s organic molecular design and polymer design technologies, promoting open innovation aimed at evolving new technologies. The laboratory will also work to foster highly talented human resources by encouraging the exchange of researchers and technologies between the two partners.

Name: DIC–AIST Sustainable Materials Collaborative Research Laboratory
Location: AIST Tsukuba and AIST Kansai
Director: Masanori Tamura (Interdisciplinary Research Center for Catalytic Chemistry, AIST)

Collaborative research laboratories
To encourage specialized R&D tailored to the needs of individual companies, AIST partners with such companies to establish collaborative research laboratories within AIST that bear the partner company’s name. Partner companies supply researchers and research funds, among others, while AIST provides researchers, research equipment, intellectual property and other research resources. Seconded partner company researchers and AIST researchers conduct joint research.

Chemical recycling
Chemical recycling is the recycling of waste plastic, such as that from containers and packaging, using heat or gas to convert them back into low–molecular weight polymers that can be used as raw materials for plastics and other chemical products.

Biorefinery
A biorefinery is a refinery that uses biotechnologies and catalytic technologies to convert biomass, including starch, cellulose and other plant-derived polysaccharides, oils and fats, lignin and other agricultural and food wastes into biofuels, chemicals and other products.

Carbon-neutral
The term “carbon-neutral” is used to describe a state in which net zero carbon emissions have been achieved by balancing CO2 emissions with CO2 removal.

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DIC Corporation
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