Macromolecular Functions Applying Research Group
Transitioning from manufacturing based on fossil resources to manufacturing that utilizes renewable resources is essential for achieving a decarbonized society. The Macromolecular Functional Applying Research Group aims to create technologies that balance industrial growth with environmental sustainability by developing high-performance polymer materials derived from underutilized resources such as woody biomass.
Main Research Subjects
1. Development of lignin whitening technologies
Lignin, an aromatic polymer derived from plants, has attracted attention as a functional material; however, its brown-black color has limited its design flexibility as materials. Our group has, for the first time in the world, developed novel technology to whiten various lignin derivatives obtained from cooking and simultaneous enzymatic saccharification and comminution. Using whitened lignin, we are developing transparent coating films as well as resin/clay composites with heat resistance, electric insulating, and luminescence properties.
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2. Contactless health-monitoring of degraded materials
We develop diagnostic technologies in contactless manner to evaluate the degradation of organic polymers such as epoxy resins. Degradation of coatings materials in quite early-stage can be detected by using Near-infrared (NIR) spectroscopy. For example, we demonstrated that the surface damage of the coating caused by an accelerated weathering test was easily and non-invasively identified; the calcium carbonate particles were exposed due to the dissipation of epoxy resins on the surface.
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- Research Groups
- Advanced Separation Materials Research Group
- Organic Resource Conversion Research Group
- Nanopore Design Research Group
- Macromolecular Functions Applying Research Group
- Continuous Synthesis Systems Engineering Research Group
- Energy-efficient Chemical Systems Research Group
- Functional Materials Processing Research Group
- Organic Reaction Chemistry Research Group
- Innovative Heterogeneous Catalytic Process Research Group
- Environmentally Benign Process Research Group