Product category:
Electronics Manufacturing Materials and Consumables
News Release from: SDK
Edited by the Electronicstalk Editorial
Team on 09 October 2003
Joint venture to research novel carbon
materials
Prof Morinobu Endo of the Faculty of Engineering at Shinshu University and Showa Denko (SDK) are to establish a joint venture for research of advanced carbon materials and their applications.
Prof Morinobu Endo of the Faculty of Engineering at Shinshu University and Showa Denko (SDK) have agreed to establish a joint venture for research of advanced carbon materials and their application to energy devices The new company, MEFS Co, will focus on R and D of carbon nanofibres in the category of "multi-walled carbon nanotubes" that has great potential for wide-ranging applications
This article was originally published on Electronicstalk on 11 Dec 2003 at 8.00am (UK)
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Prof Endo discovered carbon nanotubes while he was a researcher at the University of Orleans, France (in around 1975).
Since then, he has been engaged in the study of the basic science of a wide variety of advanced carbon materials, including carbon fibres and carbon clusters, as well as application of these materials to high-performance batteries for portable electronic equipment and electric vehicles, and power source systems.
In 1982, Prof Endo and SDK started joint researches into VGCF (vapour-grown carbon fibre), a typical multi-walled carbon nanotube.
While promoting application of VGCF as high-performance additive in lithium-ion secondary batteries, the two parties established the world's first volume production technology of very fine VGCF products.
Based on this achievement, SDK has become the sole producer/marketer of carbon nanofibre in Japan, operating a 40t-per-year commercial plant.
In addition to carbon nanofibre, MEFS Co will promote R and D of advanced carbon materials for use in fuel cells and capacitors.
Through speedy and strategic R and D efforts, the company will acquire intellectual property for its achievements.
Under the ongoing medium-term consolidated business plan (the Sprout Project), SDK is expanding the fine carbon business as one of its "strategic growth businesses" and developing battery materials based on the "strategic market unit" (SMU) concept.
From now on, SDK will step up its activities in this field by commercialising the R and D accomplishments of MEFS Co.
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