TECH Meets BUSINESS

New materials can be made by just mixing, this is a new technology of which we are proud

Firstly, please tell us about the research you have done up until founding of the company in June 2011.

Development of new materials without spending large amounts of time and cost is enabled

― In what areas will the materials produced by this technology be used?

Shimizu:

The materials can be applied in various industrial fields, but in particular they can be applied in industrial fields as a substitute for metals and rare metals, in the field of transparent materials as a substitute for glass, and in industrial fields where the use of fossil resources is to be minimized as much as possible. There is an opportunity for our technology wherever there is a desire to get something more from a material that is currently being used. This is because by using this mixing technology we ourselves can control the properties to make up for what is lacking in the present material.
We worked on the material that can be stretchable and conduct electricity referred to previously. Out starting point was the observation that there was a wish that electrodes that were difficult to bend could be made more flexible. Providing electrodes with elasticity immediately expands the potential of products using electricity. Research is in progress on application to wearable terminals that can be worn on the human body and sensors with shapes that were not possible previously.
The more a customer wants to get more out of a material, such as make it more transparent while retaining the same properties, or increase the strength with the same material cost, or further strengthen the properties, etc., then the more this new technology will evolve and the number of uses will increase.

― I have heard that it is possible to give non-metal materials the same properties as metals.

Shimizu:

Yes. The development of materials as a substitute for rare metals has been a problem from some time past. In particular it is anticipated that the use of platinum will rapidly increase in solar panels and fuel cells, etc., but taking into consideration the reserves and rates of extraction it is considered difficult to satisfy the future demand in the same way. For this purpose our company’s new technology will be of use.
In the case of platinum, at present a substitute material has been developed having the same incident photoelectric conversion efficiency by combining 3 types of material. This has been achieved thanks to the technology for fine mixing at the nano-level. In addition research is in progress on new materials to substitute for palladium, etc., which is used in dental materials.

― It is just a mixing process, so it is very simple and easy to understand.

Shimizu:

That is right. The keyword of the technology is “simplification”. The practice of mixing at the nano-level is just mixing. With normal material mixing, chemical processes are used or a surfactant is introduced between the materials. However with our mixing technology, forming a composite at the nano-level is achieved just by mixing for several 10s of seconds.
The mixing is really very easy. If the heat resistance is insufficient, then blend with a material with excellent heat resistance, and the same applies for combining a coating that requires wear resistance, etc. It is simple so there are many ways of producing materials. As a result it is considered that the effect will be great, the same as for the development of new plastic materials. The process is extremely simple, so the enormous time and cost of material development can be dramatically reduced. This is of use to any company that requires materials.
We are proud of the fact that the high quality of the materials produced has been recognized throughout the world. Companies that have seen demos or actual products have shown great interest in our company’s technology.

― At present what companies are you receiving inquiries from?

Shimizu:

We are getting interest from various fields, such as resin manufacturers that are conducting material composite projects, automobile manufacturers and automobile parts manufacturers that are interested in weight reduction, electronics companies that want to use flexible electrodes in wearable terminals, manufacturers dealing with transparent panels for smartphones and tablet terminals, etc. We expect that the number of inquiries will increase when we start selling the mass production machine. At present we are receiving inquiries regarding joint research to produce new materials, as well as regarding tests for introducing new devices, and having discussions regarding materials with properties that the customer wants to have.

― Tell us about your vision for the future.

Shimizu:

We recognize that there are 2 factors for expanding our results. The first is to respond to the needs to supply small volume high added value new materials as a venture company that can effectively maneuver. At the same time we need to proceed with the development of mass production machines in order to propagate this technology. It is likely that 2015 will be a year of growth with many years of research coming to fruition in the development of the mass production machine. We intend to utilize this opportunity to produce future business growth. Only this mixing technology has the power to bring about innovation in the industrial field, and it has been highly evaluated overseas. The company takes its name HSP from the initial letters of the English translation of the new technology, namely “High Shear Processing”, so it incorporates the thought of spreading the name of this technology throughout the world. In the future I want to cultivate the company to continue to provide new materials.