Category of Materials and Microparticulate

Development of carbon fiber recycling technology from carbon fiber reinforced plastic (CFRP) / NEDO project in 2010-2012

　Demand of carbon fiber is increasing rapidly for the purpose of improving fuel cost of aircrafts and cars because of the lightweight with high strength and high modulus. As the main use, however, carbon fiber reinforced plastic (CFRP) are difficult to recycle by itself and the waste products and the residue in production process are mostly landfill discarded.
　In our laboratory, the energy-saving technology for recycling carbon fiber has been developed as follows (in detail):

Effect of trace elements on power generation characterization of fuel cell / NEDO project in 2008-2012

 　Coal gasification gas will be used in large-scale power generation using solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC). However, there are various trace metals in coal gasification gas. In our laboratory, the effect of the trace elements on metal corrosion in an electrode cell of SOFC has beeninvestigated by the thermodynamic equilibrium calculations under the condition of the simulated gasification gas and the exposure experiments with an electrical furnace. The in situ observation of the surface of a button cell in the exposure experiments has been carried out by using the microscope with a hot-stage to kinetically follow the behavior of the precipitation of metals such as nickel on the surface of the cell.
　In addition, recently, the effect of trace ammonia in the flue gas, from the production process of hydrogen from ammonia using plasma, on the power generation characterization of polymer electrolyte fuel cell (PEFC) has been investigated.

• Polymer coating using photochemistry

   

   　In the study, the method using photochemistry has been investigated to coat various materials using 2-Methacryloyloxyethyl Phosphorylcholine (MPC) polymer, having higher biocompatibility and water retentivity.
  
  

  
  Study of lithium ion battery

   

   　Lithium ion battery is used in a hybrid car. However, the mechanism of abnomal ignition from the battery is not known. In our laboratory, the mechanism for the dangerousness of lithium ion battery has been investigated.