HONG KONG, Dec 9, 2022 - (ACN Newswire via SEAPRWire.com) - Recently, Zhongke Guosheng (Hangzhou) Technology Co., Ltd (hereinafter referred to as "GS Biotech") officially announced the completion of its nearly CNY100 million pre-A round financing, led by Legend Capital. The proceeds will be mainly used for the capacity expansion of core pipeline products 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF), 2,5-furandicarboxylic acid (FDCA) and 2,5-tetrahydrofuran dimethanol (THFDM), and the continuous development of downstream derivatives.Founded in 2021 with the vision of "Biomass Change Lives", GS Biotech is a bio-based material and R&D company dedicated to building a bio-based material industry chain. The members of its founding team graduated from the Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, and have nearly 20 years of research foundation and industrialization experience in the fields of biomass catalytic conversion and furan-based material design and development. At present, the R&D team building has also been completed from biomass, derivatives to polymers, which ensures the cutting-edge of the company's product development and the availability of end products.According to Dr. John Zhang, CEO of GS Biotech, the company has taken the development model of promoting the "two-wheel drive" of the dual track as an important strategic direction. On the one hand, the company has completely solved the problems of HMF cost and raw material sources; its original HMF continuous production process, which completed the verification of multi-dimensional cost reduction measures, has greatly reduced the production cost and effectively improved the efficiency, and it is expected that the production cost of HMF will be controlled within RMB10,000 per ton in the future three years from the extraction of non-grain raw material sources to the iterative path of the production process and to the planning of expanding production capacity. Meanwhile, the company has also reserved more than 20 kinds of high-value-added monomers and is simultaneously promoting the verification of the application of each monomer in the terminal market. Moreover, GS Biotech established a joint venture, Xinshengtai Materials, with an AI-powered drug R&D unicorn company XtalPi Inc to focus on using AI technology to accelerate the reverse design of derivatives and improve the development efficiency of downstream derivatives to further accelerate its high-efficiency and accurate market development process.On the other hand, the company has also made significant progress in the design, R&D and industrialization of degradable new materials. The new biodegradable plastic PEOX, another important pipeline of the company, has completed the 150L pilot scale experiment and obtained market terminal verification. The performance indicators of PEOX can be compared with PGA and the price of the terminal product will be approximately RMB10,000/ton after the large-scale production. With the special performance of the product and the support of policies, many leading enterprises in the industry are negotiating with the company to sign an underwriting agreement to apply PEOX in the field of disposable packagings such as agricultural mulch, plastic bags, straws, and lunch boxes.Legend Capital said: "Under the background of China's strategy in carbon peaking and carbon neutrality and the pursuit of sustainable energy development, petroleum-based chemical materials will gradually be replaced by bio-based materials, which are produced from sustainable resources. HMF is an important bio-based platform compound with great potential for downstream derivatives. GS Biotech has pioneered the HMF continuous production process globally and realized the large-scale and low-cost production of HMF. It has opened the entire industry chain from upstream core monomers to terminal applications and innovatively introduced AI and high-throughput machine synthesis technology into the development of downstream derivative products. The core team of GS Biotech graduated from the Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics of the Chinese Academy of Sciences. With nearly 20 years of research foundation and industrialization experience in the field of biomass catalytic conversion, GS Biotech has shown strong capabilities in continuous R&D, production management, and resource integration. Legend Capital has long focused on technology investments linked to carbon peaking and carbon neutrality, and we look forward to working with GS Biotech to promote technological change in the field of bio-based materials."As an interdisciplinary subject of information science, life science and material science, synthetic biology and bio-based materials have always been the direction that Legend Capital has paid close attention to in the field of carbon-neutral technology investment. Legend Capital's investments in the carbon-neutral field focus on energy decarbonization, vehicle electrification/intelligence, synthetic biology, etc. Energy decarbonization includes photovoltaic, wind power, and smart grid; vehicle electrification/intelligence includes lithium battery vehicles, hydrogen fuel cell vehicles, battery recycling and others; in the field of synthetic biology and bio-based materials, Legend Capital has invested in many outstanding companies such as Giant Biogene (02367.HK), GS Biotech, Huili Biotech, and Tidetron Bioworks Technology.About Legend CapitalFounded in 2001, Legend Capital is a leading VC&PE investor focusing on the early-stage and growth-stage opportunities in China, with offices across Beijing, Shanghai, Shenzhen, Hong Kong, and Seoul, Korea.It currently manages USD and RMB funds of over US$10 billion in commitments, and has invested in around 600 companies, covering technology, healthcare, consumer, enterprise service and intelligent manufacturing sectors. Rooted in China, Legend Capital participated in the rise of many world-leading companies by solid investment coverage and systematic post-investment value-add. Over the years, Legend Capital has also become a widely recognized name in bridging key resources in China and overseas through cross-border activities, and a valuable partner to Chinese and overseas investors. Legend Capital values long-term sustainable investment and incorporates ESG into its long-term development strategy. As a UNPRI signatory since November 2019, Legend Capital is among the first group of top VC/PE firms in China to join the initiative. For more information, please visit www.legendcapital.com.cn/index_en.aspx and follow us on LinkedIn @Legend Capital (https://www.linkedin.com/company/legend-capital). Copyright 2022 ACN Newswire. All rights reserved. (via SEAPRWire)
TSUKUBA, Japan, Dec 2, 2022 - (ACN Newswire via SEAPRWire.com) - Researchers at the National Institute for Materials Science (NIMS) in Japan have automated a complex and labour-intensive process for analysing the results of X-ray diffraction studies, which are used to determine the structure of crystalline materials. The team described the development and application of their technique in the journal Science and Technology of Advanced Materials: Methods.By combining machine learning with robotic process automation, researchers automated a mathematical procedure that determines the structure of crystalline materials. (Credit: ktsdesign/123rf)X-rays fired at a crystal interact with the geometric arrangement of its particles and are diffracted in many directions in a complex pattern of rays that depends on the crystal's precise structure. Experts analyse the pattern and intensity of the diffracted X-rays to determine the crystal's internal arrangement. This is a powerful and widely used process for revealing the three-dimensional atomic structure of new materials.A well-established mathematical procedure, called Rietveld analysis, is used for interpreting X-ray diffraction data, but it is time-consuming and requires manual trial-and-error refinement of the results."To reduce human costs and resources, we have developed a robotic process automation (RPA) system that we apply to an existing Rietveld analysis program called RIETAN-FP," says Ryo Tamura of the NIMS team. "By using our new procedure, with the help of machine learning, we have succeeded in performing Rietveld analysis automatically," Tamura adds.The automation can be run on a personal computer and can reduce human error as well as greatly speed up the data analysis.Tamura explains that the field of materials science already relies on numerous graphical user interface (GUI) applications to calculate a material's properties, control experimental equipment, or analyse material data. He says that combining this new RPA and machine learning ability with these applications achieves a "closed loop" to automatically design and analyse materials with minimal human intervention.The researchers verified the accuracy of their procedure by analysing samples of powdered compounds whose crystal structures are already known. The ability to determine the structures from powdered samples is one of the great strengths of Rietveld analysis. It avoids the need to grow large single crystals, which can be extremely difficult to obtain for some materials."Automating Rietveld analysis brings a very powerful new tool into the entire field of materials science," Tamura concludes.The researchers are now working to further refine their procedure to make it suitable for more complex crystal structures. Another aim is to explore the use of their machine learning RPA strategy for more general applications in materials science. The possibilities include numerous simulation methods used for calculating material properties, and also applications for controlling experimental equipment. The success achieved thus far with X-ray diffraction could just be the start for Rietveld robotics.Further informationRyo Tamura National Institute for Materials ScienceEmail: tamura.ryo@nims.go.jpAbout Science and Technology of Advanced Materials: Methods (STAM Methods)STAM Methods is an open access sister journal of Science and Technology of Advanced Materials (STAM), and focuses on emergent methods and tools for improving and/or accelerating materials developments, such as methodology, apparatus, instrumentation, modeling, high-through put data collection, materials/process informatics, databases, and programming. https://www.tandfonline.com/STAM-MDr. Yasufumi NakamichiSTAM Methods Publishing DirectorEmail: NAKAMICHI.Yasufumi@nims.go.jpPress release distributed by Asia Research News for Science and Technology of Advanced Materials. Copyright 2022 ACN Newswire. All rights reserved. (via SEAPRWire)
TSUKUBA, Japan, Nov 7, 2022 - (ACN Newswire via SEAPRWire.com) - A new approach uses data from one type of test on small metal alloy samples to extract enough information for building databases that can be used to predict the properties and potentials of new materials. The details were published in the journal Science and Technology of Advanced Materials: Methods.The scientists used computer simulations to build database of material properties.The Scientists found a way to use topography around indentation impression to predict other properties measured by a tensile or compression test.The test is called instrumented indentation. It involves driving an indenter tip into a material to probe some of its properties, such as hardness and elastic stiffness. Scientists have been using the data extracted from instrumented indentation to estimate the stress-strain curve of materials using computational simulations. This curve, and the data it provides, is important for understanding a material's properties. That data is also used for building massive materials databases, which can be used, in conjunction with artificial intelligence, for predicting new materials.A problem scientists face is that this approach for estimating material properties is limited when it comes to materials called 'high work-hardening alloys': metal alloys, like steel, that are strengthened through physical processes like rolling and forging. Only so much information can be estimated from the curve of these materials. To get the necessary additional information needed to determine their properties, more experiments would need to be done, which costs time, effort and money.Ta-Te Chen of the University of Tsukuba and Ikumu Watanabe of the National Institute for Materials Science in Japan have developed a new computational approach to extract that additional information from instrumented indentation tests on work-hardening alloys."Our approach builds on an already-existing model, making it ready for use in industry. It is also applicable to existing data, including hardness," says Watanabe.The approach involves combining the results from two computational models, the power-law and linear hardening models, which produce their own individual stress-plastic strain curves from information gathered from indentation tests. Combining the data from both curves provides the extra data that, when added to the original stress-strain curve, shows a more holistic picture of the work-hardening alloys' properties.The scientists validated their approach by using it on a high-work-hardening stainless steel.We have extended this approach to also evaluate mechanical properties at elevated temperatures, which can contribute to the development of high-temperature alloys," says Chen.Further informationIkumu WatanabeNational Institute for Materials ScienceEmail: WATANABE.Ikumu@nims.go.jpAbout Science and Technology of Advanced Materials: Methods (STAM Methods)STAM Methods is an open access sister journal of Science and Technology of Advanced Materials (STAM), and focuses on emergent methods and tools for improving and/or accelerating materials developments, such as methodology, apparatus, instrumentation, modeling, high-through put data collection, materials/process informatics, databases, and programming. https://www.tandfonline.com/STAM-MDr. Yasufumi NakamichiSTAM Methods Publishing DirectorEmail: NAKAMICHI.Yasufumi@nims.go.jpPress release distributed by Asia Research News for Science and Technology of Advanced Materials. Copyright 2022 ACN Newswire. All rights reserved. (via SEAPRWire)
TOKYO, Oct 27, 2022 - (JCN Newswire via SEAPRWire.com) - Mitsubishi Corporation (MC) is pleased to announce its establishment on October 27, 2022 of a new joint venture company, Beyond Materials Corporation (Beyond Materials), a specialized strategy and engineering service provider that will support materials suppliers on their path to global and sustainable growth. Our partner on this joint venture is FEV Consulting GmbH (FEV). The requirements on future product designs are becoming more sophisticated and diverse due to decarbonization and other societal demands. This has heightened interest in the functions and solutions that materials can provide, and necessitated even stronger relationships between suppliers and users of those materials, the automotive sector being a case in point. For over three years, MC and FEV have been conducting joint preliminary work to develop services targeting these industries, and our collaboration has confirmed that we share a similar dedication to addressing challenges faced by modern societies and helping them to be more sustainable.FEV is the consulting arm of FEV Group, a German engineering services provider with a global workforce of more than 7,000 employees. FEV provides unique advice to its customers by combining long experience in top management consulting with end-to-end technical expertise, including battery systems, car bodies and more, of the FEV Group GmbH. Beyond Materials will provide the materials industries with tailor-made solutions. Its services will extend from market research, strategy development and implementation support, to product development and demonstrations. This will be achieved by combining MC's global network and broad experience in the materials industries with FEV's intelligence on broad applications and customer requirements, engineering and product know-how, and also taking advantage of digital technologies. MC expects this new joint venture to build a bridge between those who use functional materials and those who make them, whether that be in chemicals, metals, or ceramics and other composites. We look forward to Beyond Materials contributing to sustainable growth in global materials markets and helping us to achieve our mission to build net-zero, circular economies. For more information, visit www.mitsubishicorp.com/jp/en/pr/archive/2022/html/0000050161.html. Copyright 2022 JCN Newswire. All rights reserved. (via SEAPRWire)
HONG KONG, Oct 24, 2022 - (ACN Newswire via SEAPRWire.com) - Niche-Tech Semiconductor Materials Limited ("Niche-Tech Semiconductor" or the "Company", with its subsidiaries collectively referred as the "Group"; HKEx Stock Code: 8490.HK), a leading semiconductor packaging materials manufacturer, is pleased to announce that Mr. Chow Bok Hin Felix, Executive Chairman and Executive Director of the Company, was appointed as the new director of The Hong Kong Applied Science and Technology Research Institute ("ASTRI") for the period from 21 October 2022 to 20 October 2024.ASTRI is an institute founded by the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region in 2000 with the mission of enhancing Hong Kong's competitiveness through applied research. ASTRI's core R&D competence in various areas is grouped under four Technology Divisions: Trust and AI Technologies; Communications Technologies; IoT Sensing and AI Technologies and Integrated Circuits and Systems. It is applied across six core areas which are Smart City, Financial Technologies, Re-Industrialisation and Intelligent Manufacturing, Digital Health, Application Specific Integrated Circuits and Metaverse. As of 2021/22, ASTRI has transferred almost 1,250 technologies to the industry and has been granted over 1,000 patents in the Mainland, the US, and other countries.Mr. Chow has over 13 years of experience in the electronic materials industry. As the Co-founder, Executive Chairman and Executive Director of the Company, he is primarily responsible for the overall management, strategic planning, operation and development of the Group. Being the new director of ASTRI, Mr. Chow's role and position in Niche-Tech Semiconductor will not be changed. What's more, he will contribute his extensive industry experience, with ASTRI's joint efforts, to optimize the ecosystem of innovation and technology in Hong Kong, thereby, contributing to the electronic materials industry by transferring most advanced technologies to the field. Furthermore, under the platform of ASTRI, Mr. Chow will make full use of the industry and R&D resources to introduce cutting-edge technologies to the Company so as to promote its long-term development.Mr. Chow Bok Hin said, "I am very honoured to join the family of ASTRI. It has been a challenging moment for global economies since 2019, as the Sino-U.S. trade tensions continued and brought uncertainties as well as negative impact to the global industries. However, in the long run, the demand for high efficiency power electronic products is still expected to grow outstandingly, which will drive the further growth of semiconductor industry and bring new opportunities to the semiconductor packaging materials industry. As the new director of ASTRI, I will contribute to the electronic materials industry. Being the Executive Chairman and Executive Director of the Company, I believe that it would be a great opportunity to promote development of Niche-tech and grasp the opportunities arising from the latest trend in the industry."About Niche-Tech Semiconductor Materials Limited Niche-Tech Semiconductor Materials Limited ("Niche-Tech Semiconductor") was established in 2006 in Hong Kong and was successfully listed on the GEM of Hong Kong Stock Exchange in 2019. Niche-Tech is a manufacturer of semiconductor packaging materials and new materials in the High and New Technology field, specializing in the development, manufacture and sales of bonding wire, encapsulant and special metal materials. Since 2010, the Group has become a High and New Technology Enterprise in the PRC. Establishing Guangdong Province Semiconductor and Microelectronics Materials Engineering Technology R&D Center, , Niche-Tech was recognised as a National Intellectual Property Outstanding Enterprise by the State Intellectual Property Office of the PRC in 2016 and then obtained the qualifications recognition such as Guangdong Academic Experts (Corporate) Workstation and Guangdong Science and Technology Expert Workstation.For media enquiries, please contact Bright Communication International Limited:Ms. Ashley KungMobile: (852) 52406263Email: ir@brightcommns.com Copyright 2022 ACN Newswire. All rights reserved. (via SEAPRWire)
TSUKUBA, Japan, Sep 1, 2022 - (ACN Newswire via SEAPRWire.com) - A French-Japanese research collaboration has fabricated metal nanocomposite coatings that improve the insulating properties of window glasses. The new coating prevents a significant portion of near-infrared (NIR) and ultraviolet rays (UV) from passing through, while at the same time admitting visible light. The findings were reported in the journal Science and Technology of Advanced Materials.The nanoclusters are dispersed in a PVP matrix that is then coated on ITO glass to block NIR and UV rays while letting visible light pass through."Although the fabrication of a commercial products is still a long way ahead, our work demonstrated a significant improvement in UV and NIR blocking properties compared to previous research," says solid-state chemist Fabien Grasset, research director at the French National Centre for Scientific Research (CNRS)."Buildings account for a large part of global energy consumption," explains Grasset, "with a large amount of the annual energy consumption of a standard building going to cooling and/or heating systems to maintain indoor temperatures at comfortable levels." Scientists are looking for ways to develop window glass coatings that can block the entry of NIR radiation so that buildings, and even cars, can consume less energy to keep it cool inside. However, this needs to be done in a way that still allows visible light to enter. Ideally, harmful UV rays would also be blocked.To this end, the international French-Japanese research collaboration fabricated and analysed the performance of nanocomposites based on niobium-tantalum cluster compounds containing chloride or bromide ions.They found that chloride-based nanoclusters provided the best performance in terms of blocking NIR and UV rays and allowing the passage of visible light. NIR and UV blocking by the nanoclusters depended on their concentration, dispersion and oxidation state. By tuning these parameters, the team was able to improve the nanocluster performance.The nanoclusters were dispersed into a polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) matrix that was then coated onto indium-tin-oxide (ITO) glass. The combination increased the transmittance of visible light while reducing that of NIR and UV rays, relative to previous research. "These are very promising coating materials that block the most troublesome NIR wavelengths," says Grasset."We have a long history of Japanese-French collaboration," he continues. "We were already convinced that we are stronger working together by mixing our different cultures and ways of thinking. The international LINK project has reinforced this belief. We will continue to do our best to make further progress towards finding solutions for the global warming problem."Further informationFabien GrassetFrench National Centre for Scientific Research (CNRS)Email: fabien.grasset@cnrs.frResearch paper: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/14686996.2022.2105659About Science and Technology of Advanced Materials (STAM)Open access journal STAM publishes outstanding research articles across all aspects of materials science, including functional and structural materials, theoretical analyses, and properties of materials. https://www.tandfonline.com/STAMFor more information on STAM, contactDr. Mikiko TanifujiSTAM Publishing DirectorEmail: TANIFUJI.Mikiko@nims.go.jpPress release distributed by Asia Research News for Science and Technology of Advanced Materials. Copyright 2022 ACN Newswire. All rights reserved. (via SEAPRWire)
TOKYO, Jul 12, 2022 - (JCN Newswire via SEAPRWire.com) - Teijin Limited (hereinafter Teijin) and Fujitsu Limited today launched a joint project to realize a blockchain-based commercial platform for enhancing the environmental value of recycled materials for manufacturers. The collaboration will promote environmentally conscious design(1) by leveraging Teijin's Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) Calculation Method for measuring the environmental impact of manufacturing processes across the value chain, as well as Fujitsu's blockchain technology to collect and track primary data on environmental impact (including GHG emissions) to deliver reliable, transparent traceability.Image of platform for enhancing the environmental value of recycled materialsThe new platform will promote the use of recycled materials and environmentally friendly designs by providing manufacturers who design products from recycled materials with accurate information about their environmental footprint, including proof of origin of recycled materials and data on GHG emissions.This joint effort demonstrates the two companies' commitment to contributing to the realization of the common global goal of a carbon-neutral future for humanity.BackgroundMeasuring and reducing the environmental impact of manufacturing processes as well as enhancing the environmental value of recycled materials represents an ongoing challenge for players in the manufacturing industry.To this end, manufacturers are increasingly introducing LCA throughout the life cycle of products, disclosing evaluation results, and taking proactive measures to obtain environmental labels(2) as part of their environmental impact management strategies. The introduction of stricter environmental regulations in Europe in particular requires companies to not only adjust to additional requirements in the manufacturing process, but also to focus on environmentally friendly designs and materials. In particular, fiber reinforced plastics (FRP), which are increasingly used for industrial purposes particularly in the transportation field such as aircraft and electric vehicles (EVs), will require more advanced, environmentally conscious design efforts in the future.To achieve these goals, both the government and the private sector are actively working to regulate waste disposal and develop improved recycling technologies. However, transparency and traceability of recycled materials remain an ongoing challenge, and demand for solutions for reliable information management is expected to grow amidst trends to institutionalize the verification of the usage of recycled resources.To address this issue, Teijin and Fujitsu started collaboration on a blockchain-based commercial platform to promote sustainable use of recycled materials and provide manufacturers with reliable and transparent information on the origin of recycled resources and data on GHG emissions.Outline of the joint projectTeijin has established a method for calculating greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from carbon fiber and aramid fiber manufacturing processes and is also promoting initiatives related to FRP recycling. Fujitsu has a strong track record in building systems using blockchain technologies that ensure high transparency and traceability and makes it virtually impossible to falsify information.Features of the new platform- The new platform will improve the reliability and the environmental value of recycled materials by leveraging Fujitsu's blockchain technology to collect and trace primary data on environmental impact (including GHG emissions) across the value-chain- The new platform will promote the use of recycled materials and environmentally friendly designs by providing manufacturers who design products from recycled materials with environmental impact information, including proof of origin of recycled materials and highly reliable GHG emissionsFuture plansAs a first step in their collaboration, Teijin and Fujitsu will start full-scale trials with the aim of realizing business in the FRP field within fiscal 2022. Based on the results of these trials, the two companies will consider expanding the scope of the project for other types of materials.Moving forward, Teijin and Fujitsu will continue to contribute to the materials industry as a starting point for the realization of a "circular economy" and will promote environmentally conscious design in society by promoting the use of reliable recycled materials.The two parties will further promote discussions and field trials with partner companies and organizations that support this initiative to contribute to the realization of carbon neutrality on a corporate and global level.In order to realize a sustainable society, Teijin will provide innovative, people-centered solutions that improve peoples' quality of life. Teijin will further strive to mitigate the impact of its business activities on the environment and society to realize its long-term vision "to be a company that supports the society of the future." Fujitsu is promoting "Sustainable Manufacturing" to achieve growth through the coexistence of people and the earth as one of its key focus areas under its global business brand, Fujitsu Uvance.(1) Environmentally conscious design:Design that takes into account the entire life cycle of a product and aims to reduce its environmental impact(2) Environmental label:A mark that informs purchasers of how products and services contribute to the reduction of environmental impactAbout the Teijin GroupTeijin (TSE: 3401) is a technology-driven global group offering advanced solutions in the fields of environmental value; safety, security and disaster mitigation; and demographic change and increased health consciousness. Originally established as Japan's first rayon manufacturer in 1918, Teijin has evolved into a unique enterprise encompassing three core business domains: high-performance materials including aramid, carbon fibers and composites, and also resin and plastic processing, films, polyester fibers and products converting; healthcare including pharmaceuticals and home healthcare equipment for bone/joint, respiratory and cardiovascular/metabolic diseases, nursing care and pre-symptomatic healthcare; and IT including B2B solutions for medical, corporate and public systems as well as packaged software and B2C online services for digital entertainment. Deeply committed to its stakeholders, as expressed in the brand statement "Human Chemistry, Human Solutions," Teijin aims to be a company that supports the society of the future. The group comprises some 170 companies and employs some 20,000 people across 20 countries worldwide. Teijin posted consolidated sales of JPY 926.1 billion (USD 7.2 billion) and total assets of JPY 1,207.6 billion (USD 9.4 billion) in the fiscal year that ended on March 31, 2022. Please visit www.teijin.comAbout FujitsuFujitsu's purpose is to make the world more sustainable by building trust in society through innovation. As the digital transformation partner of choice for customers in over 100 countries, our 124,000 employees work to resolve some of the greatest challenges facing humanity. Our range of services and solutions draw on five key technologies: Computing, Networks, AI, Data & Security, and Converging Technologies, which we bring together to deliver sustainability transformation. Fujitsu Limited (TSE:6702) reported consolidated revenues of 3.6 trillion yen (US$32 billion) for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2022 and remains the top digital services company in Japan by market share. Find out more: www.fujitsu.com. Copyright 2022 JCN Newswire. All rights reserved. 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TSUKUBA, Japan, Jun 27, 2022 - (ACN Newswire via SEAPRWire.com) - Ceramics and metals have been used for a while as structural materials to repair bones and joints. In the past, scientists engineered bioinert materials, which do not bond to bones directly; bioactive materials that can bond to bones; and bio-absorbable materials that are categorized in bioactive materials but they are absorbed by the body over time and are replaced by advancing bone tissue. A new bio-responsive ceramic can be used to repair bone defectsWith an enzyme found in blood, different types of salts were converted to hydroxyapatite, a bone mineralNow, a fourth type of bone repairing materials has been found: a bio-responsive ceramic that interacts with an enzyme found in blood to be absorbed into the body at a precise and predictable rate.The research was done by Taishi Yokoi, an associate professor at the Institute of Biomaterials and Bioengineering at Tokyo Medical and Dental University, and his colleagues. The study was published in May in Science and Technology of Advanced Materials."Extending healthy life expectancy is an important issue for all of us," Yokoi says. "Bone repairing materials aid in the recovery of bone defects and help improve quality of life."At the heart of this discovery is a biological reaction: an enzyme called alkaline phosphatase (ALP), which is present in human serum and reacts with various phosphate esters to generate bone mineral known as hydroxyapatite.The scientists mimicked this process using a simulated body fluid that contained the enzyme ALP. They placed four different salts in a simulated body fluid containing or lacking the enzyme ALP. The salts were calcium salts of methyl phosphate (CaMeP), ethyl phosphate (CaEtP), butyl phosphate (CaBuP) and dodecyl phosphate (CaDoP). The phosphate component of each of these salts has an alkyl group at its end - a chain composed of hydrogen and carbon atoms - of differing lengths.The scientists found that the first three salts were converted to hydroxyapatite, but only in the presence of ALP. Interestingly, the length of the alkyl group on the phosphate ester determined the rate at which this reaction happens. With more research, the scientists think that this could allow greater control of the bone healing process in the body."We expect the findings of this study will be applied towards designing and developing novel bone-repairing materials with precisely controlled degradation and resorption rates inside the body," says Yokoi. Further informationTaishi YokoiTokyo Medical and Dental UniversityEmail: yokoi.taishi.bcr@tmd.ac.jpResearch paper: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/14686996.2022.2074801About Science and Technology of Advanced Materials (STAM)Open access journal STAM publishes outstanding research articles across all aspects of materials science, including functional and structural materials, theoretical analyses, and properties of materials. https://www.tandfonline.com/STAMMikiko TanifujiSTAM Publishing Director Email: TANIFUJI.Mikiko@nims.go.jpPress release distributed by Asia Research News for Science and Technology of Advanced Materials. Copyright 2022 ACN Newswire. All rights reserved. (via SEAPRWire)
TSUKUBA, Japan, May 25, 2022 - (ACN Newswire via SEAPRWire.com) - Researchers from Konica Minolta and the Nara Institute of Science and Technology in Japan have developed a machine learning method to identify sustainable alternatives for composite materials. Their findings were published in the journal Science and Technology of Advanced Materials: Methods.Researchers are looking for sustainable options, such as recyclable materials or biomass, to substitute the constituent materials in composites which are used in various applications including electrical and information technologies.Composite materials are compounds made of two or more constituent materials. Due to the complex nature of the interactions between the different components, their performance can greatly exceed that of single materials. Composite materials, such as fibre-reinforced plastics, are very important for a wide range of industries and applications, including electrical and information technologies.In recent years, there has been increasing demand for more environmentally sustainable materials that help reduce industrial waste and plastic use. One way to achieve this is to substitute the constituent materials in composites with recyclable materials or biomass. However, this can reduce performance compared to the original material, not only due to the features of the individual constituent materials, such as their physicochemical properties, but also due to the interactions between the constituents."Finding a new composite material that achieves the same performance as the original using human experience and intuition alone takes a very long time because you have to evaluate countless materials while also taking into account the interactions between them," explains Michihiro Okuyama, assistant manager at Konica Minolta, Inc.Machine learning offers a potential solution to this problem. Scientists have proposed several machine learning methods to conduct rapid searches among a large number of materials, based on the relationship between the materials' features and performance. However, in many cases the properties of the constituent materials are unknown, making these types of predictive searches difficult.To overcome this limitation, the researchers developed a new type of machine learning method for finding alternative materials. A key advantage of the new method is that it can quantitatively evaluate the interactions among the component materials to reveal how much they contribute to the overall performance of the composite. The method then searches for replacement constituents with similar performance to the original material. The researchers tested their method by searching for alternative constituent materials for a composite consisting of three materials - resin, a filler and an additive. They experimentally evaluated the performance of the substitute materials identified by machine learning and found that they were similar to the original material, proving that the model works."In developing alternatives, that make up composite materials, our new machine learning method removes the need to test large numbers of candidates by trial and error, saving both time and money." says Okuyama.The method could be used to quickly and efficiently identify sustainable substitutes for composite materials, reducing plastic use and encouraging the use of biomass or renewable materials.Further informationMichihiro OkuyamaKONICA MINOLTA, INC.Email: michihiro.okuyama@konicaminolta.comAbout Science and Technology of Advanced Materials: Methods (STAM Methods)STAM Methods is an open access sister journal of Science and Technology of Advanced Materials (STAM), and focuses on emergent methods and tools for improving and/or accelerating materials developments, such as methodology, apparatus, instrumentation, modeling, high-through put data collection, materials/process informatics, databases, and programming. https://www.tandfonline.com/STAM-MDr. Masanobu NaitoSTAM Methods Publishing DirectorEmail: NAITO.Masanobu@nims.go.jpPress release distributed by Asia Research News for Science and Technology of Advanced Materials. Copyright 2022 ACN Newswire. All rights reserved. (via SEAPRWire)
TSUKUBA, Japan, May 6, 2022 - (ACN Newswire via SEAPRWire.com) - Scientists are exploring new ways to artificially stack two-dimensional (2D) materials, introducing so-called 2.5D materials with unique physical properties. Researchers in Japan reviewed the latest advances and applications of 2.5D materials in the journal Science and Technology of Advanced Materials.By stacking layers of different 2D materials, it is now possible to create 2.5D materials with unique physical properties that can be used in solar cells, quantum devices and devices with very low energy consumption. (Credit: STAM)"The 0.5D concept symbolizes freedom from the composition, materials, angles and space typically used in 2D materials research," explains nanomaterials scientist and lead author Hiroki Ago of Kyushu University in Japan.2D materials, like graphene, consist of a single layer of atoms and are used in applications like flexible touch panels, integrated circuits and sensors.Recently, new methods have been introduced to make it possible to artificially stack 2D materials vertically, in-plane or at twisted angles regardless of their compositions and structures. This is thanks to the ability to control the van der Waals forces: weak electric interactions between atoms and molecules, similar to a microfiber cloth's attraction of dust. It is also now possible to integrate 2D materials with other dimensional materials, such as ions, nanotubes and bulk crystals.A common method for fabricating 2.5D materials is chemical vapour deposition (CVD), which deposits a layer, one atom or molecule at a time, onto a solid surface. Commonly used building blocks for 2.5D materials include graphene, hexagonal boron nitride (hBN) (a compound used in cosmetics and aeronautics), and transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDCs) (a nanosheet semiconductor).Using the CVD method, researchers selectively synthesized a bilayer of graphene, the simplest form of a 2.5D material, using a copper-nickel foil with relatively high nickel concentration as a catalyst. Nickel makes carbon highly soluble, giving researchers more control over the number of graphene layers. When an electrical field was applied vertically across the bilayer of graphene, it opened a band gap, meaning that its conductivity can be turned on and off. This is a phenomenon that is not observed in monolayer graphene because it has no band gap and stays on all the time. By tilting the stacking angle one degree, scientists found that the material became superconducting.Similarly, another group in the UK and the US found that a layer of graphene and hBN results in the quantum Hall effect, a conduction phenomenon involving a magnetic field that produces a difference of potential. Others showed that stacking TMDCs traps excitons (electrons paired with their associated holes in a bound state) in the overlapping lattice patterns. This can lead to applications in information storage devices. New robotic assembly techniques have also made it possible to build more complex vertical structures, including a stacked heterostructure consisting of 29 alternating layers of graphene and hBN, for example.Other research has used the nanospaces that form between the layers of a 2.5D material to insert molecules and ions in order to improve the electrical, magnetic and optical properties of the host material.So far, for example, researchers have found that graphene stabilises iron chloride when it is inserted between its stacked layers, while inserting lithium ions leads to a faster diffusion rate (how quickly molecules spread in an area) than that of graphite, an electrical conductor used in batteries. This implies the material could be used in high-performance rechargeable batteries.Additionally, researchers found that inserting aluminium chloride molecules between two graphene sheets leads to the formation of new crystalline structures that are completely different from the bulk aluminium chloride crystal. More research is needed to understand why this happens and what applications it might have."There are many opportunities to explore with this new 2.5D concept," Ago says.Future applications of 2.5D materials include solar cells, batteries, flexible devices, quantum devices, and devices with very low energy consumption. The next steps should incorporate machine learning, deep learning and materials informatics in order to further advance the design and synthesis of 2.5D materials.Japan's Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology is now supporting this new concept to develop new materials under the collaborative project "Science of 2.5 Dimensional Materials: Paradigm Shift of Materials Science Toward Future Social Innovation", which involves 40 researchers in Japan, including Ago's team.Further informationHiroki AgoKyushu UniversityEmail: ago.hiroki.974@m.kyushu-u.ac.jpResearch paper: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/14686996.2022.2062576About Science and Technology of Advanced Materials (STAM)Open access journal STAM publishes outstanding research articles across all aspects of materials science, including functional and structural materials, theoretical analyses, and properties of materials. https://www.tandfonline.com/STAMDr. Masanobu NaitoSTAM Publishing DirectorEmail: NAITO.Masanobu@nims.go.jpPress release distributed by Asia Research News for Science and Technology of Advanced Materials. Copyright 2022 ACN Newswire. All rights reserved. (via SEAPRWire)
Tokyo and Reykjavík, Iceland, Apr 13, 2022 - (JCN Newswire via SEAPRWire.com) - Fujitsu and Atmonia ehf., an Icelandic start-up company developing a sustainable process for ammonia production, today announced signing of an agreement regarding conduct of joint research to accelerate catalysts development for the clean production of ammonia, leveraging on high-performance computing (HPC) and AI technology.As the world races to achieve carbon neutrality, ammonia represents a promising alternative to fossil fuels as an energy source that does not emit CO2 when burned and is easier to transport than hydrogen. The two companies will conduct high-speed quantum chemical calculations using HPC and AI technologies to accelerate the selection and optimization of new catalytic materials for sustainable ammonia production.Based on the results of this joint research, the two companies ultimately aim to establish a clean ammonia production method as a basis for power generation and hydrogen energy and to contribute to the discovery of new materials to achieve a carbon-zero future.Background and ChallengesAmmonia offers a potentially promising alternative to fossil fuels and engines that run on ammonia are already available. However, the emission of large amounts of CO2 during industrial processes to produce it remains a major challenge. Ammonia is currently produced on an industrial scale using the Haber-Bosch(1) process, which relies on hydrogen sourced from fossil fuels. Retrofitting the industrial process to use hydrogen sourced from electrolysis of water is possible. However, this is a more energy intensive route and does not fit well with the intermittent nature of renewable sourced electricity (such as solar/wind) as the Haber-Bosch process requires a continuous source of hydrogen to maintain operation of the downstream processes, which in turn requires uninterrupted source of electricity.In addressing this issue, Atmonia has been conducting research on innovative methods to produce ammonia by only using water, nitrogen from air, and clean electricity. To develop new catalysts that can produce ammonia using protons from water and nitrogen from air, Atmonia aims to further expand and improve the efficiency of its research in catalysts for ammonia production by conducting various tests to simulate chemical reactions using quantum chemical calculations.Outline of the joint researchWithin the joint research, the two companies will leverage HPC technology and AI technology for scientific discovery(2) developed by Fujitsu, as well as simulating data on ammonia production accumulated by Atmonia to conduct high-speed quantum chemistry simulations of a wide range of catalysts. The research will focus on the development of technologies for the discovery of new materials that can reduce the time required for selecting catalytic materials and optimizing surface structures(3).By identifying new catalysts for electrochemical nitrogen reduction reaction, the two companies aim to promote a carbon-free next-generation energy carrier that contributes to the goal of realizing carbon neutrality.1. Period : April 13, 2022 to March 31, 2023 2. Responsibilities of the two companies :Fujitsu- Develop technology for high-speed simulation to discover new catalysts using HPC technology for quantum chemistry simulation.- Develop AI technology for the discovery of new materials, and new catalyst candidates for ammonia synthesis.Atmonia- Provide data from simulations and experiments on catalyst candidates and reaction environments for the nitrogen reduction reaction.- Provide methodology for examination of catalyst search, interpretation method, and know-how for selection of simulation methods.- Verification and evaluation of the developed technology for the discovery of new materials.Future PlansThe two companies will work to establish a clean ammonia production method, where the ammonia can be used as sustainable fertilizer, fuel for combustion and energy carrier, promoting efficient methods for the discovery of new materials with the ultimate goal to contribute to efforts to achieve zero carbon emissions.Fujitsu will further leverage technologies to accelerate chemical simulations developed during this joint research as well as AI technology and principles from Materials Informatics(4), to support companies that develop new materials.(1) Haber-Bosch method :A method for producing ammonia by fixing hydrogen with nitrogen (directly under high temperature and pressure conditions) over an iron-based catalyst.(2) HPC technology and AI technology for scientific discovery :HPC technology and AI technology for scientific discovery developed in a joint research project with the National Institute for Materials Science (NIMS, as follows) that started in fiscal 2021.(3) Fujitsu and Atmonia conducted research to efficiently discover new reaction mechanisms including the adsorption between substances by calculating the reaction energy and reaction rate between nitrogen and hydrogen and catalysts to reduce the time required for selecting catalytic materials and optimizing surface structures.(4) Materials Informatics :field of study to accelerate the discovery of new materials by combining data science and AI technologies with technologies to simulate and analyze the synthesis of materials that can reduce time and costs necessary for development of new materials to a great extent.About FujitsuFujitsu is the leading Japanese information and communication technology (ICT) company offering a full range of technology products, solutions and services. Approximately 126,000 Fujitsu people support customers in more than 100 countries. We use our experience and the power of ICT to shape the future of society with our customers. Fujitsu Limited (TSE:6702) reported consolidated revenues of 3.6 trillion yen (US$34 billion) for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2021. For more information, please see www.fujitsu.com.About AtmoniaAtmonia is a Icelandic tech startup company developing a sustainable process for ammonia production. Atmonia's mission is to significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions with new technologies in the field of ammonia and nitrate production. The company's technology is both economical and environmentally friendly, and will contribute significantly in the fight against global warming. Atmonia's new technology will produce ammonia from air and water and will emit no greenhouse gases, but the current ammonia production method is responsible for 1-2% of the world's anthropogenic carbon dioxide emissions. For more information, visit www.atmonia.com. Copyright 2022 JCN Newswire. All rights reserved. (via SEAPRWire)
TOKYO, Mar 24, 2022 - (JCN Newswire via SEAPRWire.com) - Toyobo Co., Ltd. (Toyobo) and Mitsubishi Corporation (MC) are pleased to announce our agreement to establish a new joint venture company(1) that will specialize in the planning, development, manufacturing and sales of functional materials. The terms of our agreement call for the new company to commence operations in January 2023 or sometime thereabouts. Background and Aims of this Joint VentureBusiness environments have been changing quite dramatically in recent years, as evidenced by global moves to decarbonize and expedite the development of new technologies. These changes are driving up demand for functional materials and resulting in a significant restructuring of the related industries, and both Toyobo and MC are committed to capturing opportunities that may arise. Over the last two years, we have been pursuing strategic, cross-industry collaborations to ensure the sustainable growth and development of our operations, and our agreement signed today, on 24th March 2022, represents our latest venture together. Toyobo and MC share similar corporate values. We are both dedicated to addressing challenges faced by modern communities and helping to realize a sustainable society, and we are pleased that working together in functional materials will afford us another opportunity to do so. Our new joint venture company shall inherit Toyobo's functional materials business(2), and by combining our companies' respective strengths, it shall endeavor to achieve two aims. The first of those aims is to grow our presence in global markets, and the second is to provide customers with solutions that meet the evolving needs of the industry, which are growing increasingly diverse and sophisticated by the day. Together, we are confident that we can achieve both of these aims, as MC's broad industry know-how and network promise to be the perfect complement to Toyobo's technological expertise. Post-establishment Work (Laying of Robust Management Foundation)By combining Toyobo's business foundations with MC's management expertise and functions, our new joint venture company shall strive to offer high value-added solutions to its customers. Immediately following its establishment, work shall commence to lay down a firm-yet-flexible management foundation that is capable of adapting swiftly to the dynamically changing business environment. (Creation of Business Opportunities in New Growth Regions and Fields)Another of our objectives in establishing this new company is to leverage MC's network to facilitate the global expansion of Toyobo's materials and technologies. Furthermore, by marrying work to meet that objective with efforts dedicated to decarbonization and the achievement of the UN's sustainable development goals, our new company shall pave the way forward for future collaborations between Toyobo and MC. We look forward to facilitating our construction of new business models that extend beyond functional materials, discussions on global alliances, and other ways to ensure the sustainable growth and development of our operations. (1) MC will invest in the new company following its acquisition of certain Toyobo operations through an absorption-type demerger.(2) Business related to planning, development, manufacturing and sales of functional materials in Japan and overseas (Business related to Polymerization Development, VYLON and HARDLEN, Photo Functional Materials, Fine Chemicals, Engineering Plastics, Water Treatment Membranes, Environment Solution Devices, Activated Carbon Products, Activated Carbon Filters, Spunbond Nonwoven Fabrics, Lifestyle Materials, High-Performance Fibers), and ancillary operations will be inherited by the new joint venture company.For more information, visit https://www.mitsubishicorp.com/jp/en/pr/archive/2022/html/0000048902.html.Contact:Toyobo Co., Ltd.: Public Relations Group, Corporate Communication Department: +81-6-6348-4210Mitsubishi Corporation: Corporate Communications Dept., Press Relations Team: +81-3-3210-2171 Copyright 2022 JCN Newswire. All rights reserved. (via SEAPRWire)
TOKYO, Feb 10, 2022 - (ACN Newswire via SEAPRWire.com) - Showa Denko K.K. (SDK; TSE:4004) has demonstrated that it is possible to dramatically speed up the time required to search for optimal formulations of semiconductor materials, from several decades to several tens of seconds, using quantum computing technology.Image of optimization of semiconductor materials formulationSemiconductor materials contain a large number of ingredients such as resins, fillers and additives in various mixing ratios; by optimizing these formulations high-performance materials are obtained. However, the theoretical number of combinations for the development theme that we are working on is enormous, exceeding 10 to the 50th power. Thus, it would take decades to explore all possible combinations of these ingredients and their mixing ratios with conventional artificial intelligence (AI) models, and for this reason only a portion of the theoretical combinations had been extracted to search for the optimal combination of formulations.To reduce the time required for the exploration, we focused on Fujitsu Ltd's Digital Annealer(1), the first quantum-inspired digital technology(2). In order to utilize Digital Annealer, input in the form of an Ising model(3), an analysis method of statistical mechanics, is required. We were successful in expressing an originally developed AI model, capable of predicting the characteristics of semiconductor materials from the complex compounding conditions of materials, in the Ising model. By simulating the Ising model on Digital Annealer, we have reduced the required exploration time to tens of seconds, or about 1/72,000 of the time required by conventional AI models, which search by conditions limiting the type and amount of compounding. In addition, we were able to obtain a formula that achieves 30% higher performance as a semiconductor material.In our "Long-term Vision for Newly Integrated Company," the Showa Denko Group announced that it would commit itself to the research and development of AI and computational science, the core of its fundamental R&D activities. The results of this development are an example of the achievements of R&D activities based on the application of "Chemistry to Think" on "Chemistry to Formulate," both of which the Group has defined as basic frameworks for technological development. The Group will apply this development to various materials, accelerate its development activities, and provide customers with solutions for problems, thereby contributing to a sustainable society.(1) Digital Annealer: Domain specific architecture (basic computer design consisting of memory and computing circuits) specialized in solving computationally intensive combinatorial optimization problems. (https://www.fujitsu.com/global/services/business-services/digital-annealer/)(2) Quantum-inspired computing technology: High-performance computing technology inspired by quantum technology, though not directly using quantum effects.(3) Ising model: A statistical mechanical model for describing the behavior of spins in magnetic materials. The model describes the macroscopic magnetization of a magnetic material by considering the interaction between the spins and the coupling to the external magnetic field. The model is applied to a wide range of research areas, including combinatorial optimization problems.About Showa Denko K.K.Showa Denko K.K. (SDK; TSE:4004, ADR:SHWDY) is a major manufacturer of chemical products serving from heavy industry to computers and electronics. The Petrochemicals Sector provides cracker products such as ethylene and propylene, the Chemicals Sector provides industrial, high-performance and high-purity gases and chemicals for semicon and other industries, the Inorganics Sector provides ceramic products, such as alumina, abrasives, refractory/graphite electrodes and fine carbon products. The Aluminum Sector provides aluminum materials and high-value-added fabricated aluminum, the Electronics Sector provides HD media, compound semiconductors such as ultra high bright LEDs, and rare earth magnetic alloys, and the Advanced Battery Materials Department (ABM) provides lithium-ion battery components. For more information, please visit www.sdk.co.jp/english/.For further information, contact:Showa Denko K.K., Brand Communication Department, Tel: 81-3-5470-3235 Copyright 2022 ACN Newswire. All rights reserved. (via SEAPRWire)
TOKYO, Feb 10, 2022 - (ACN Newswire via SEAPRWire.com) - Showa Denko K.K. (SDK; TSE:4004) has demonstrated that it is possible to dramatically speed up the time required to search for optimal formulations of semiconductor materials, from several decades to several tens of seconds, using quantum computing technology.Semiconductor materials contain a large number of ingredients such as resins, fillers and additives in various mixing ratios; by optimizing these formulations high-performance materials are obtained. However, the theoretical number of combinations for the development theme that we are working on is enormous, exceeding 10 to the 50th power. Thus, it would take decades to explore all possible combinations of these ingredients and their mixing ratios with conventional artificial intelligence (AI) models, and for this reason only a portion of the theoretical combinations had been extracted to search for the optimal combination of formulations.To reduce the time required for the exploration, we focused on Fujitsu Ltd's Digital Annealer(1), the first quantum-inspired digital technology(2). In order to utilize Digital Annealer, input in the form of an Ising model(3), an analysis method of statistical mechanics, is required. We were successful in expressing an originally developed AI model, capable of predicting the characteristics of semiconductor materials from the complex compounding conditions of materials, in the Ising model. By simulating the Ising model on Digital Annealer, we have reduced the required exploration time to tens of seconds, or about 1/72,000 of the time required by conventional AI models, which search by conditions limiting the type and amount of compounding. In addition, we were able to obtain a formula that achieves 30% higher performance as a semiconductor material.In our "Long-term Vision for Newly Integrated Company," the Showa Denko Group announced that it would commit itself to the research and development of AI and computational science, the core of its fundamental R&D activities. The results of this development are an example of the achievements of R&D activities based on the application of "Chemistry to Think" on "Chemistry to Formulate," both of which the Group has defined as basic frameworks for technological development. The Group will apply this development to various materials, accelerate its development activities, and provide customers with solutions for problems, thereby contributing to a sustainable society.(1) Digital Annealer: Domain specific architecture (basic computer design consisting of memory and computing circuits) specialized in solving computationally intensive combinatorial optimization problems. (https://www.fujitsu.com/global/services/business-services/digital-annealer/)(2) Quantum-inspired computing technology: High-performance computing technology inspired by quantum technology, though not directly using quantum effects.(3) Ising model: A statistical mechanical model for describing the behavior of spins in magnetic materials. The model describes the macroscopic magnetization of a magnetic material by considering the interaction between the spins and the coupling to the external magnetic field. The model is applied to a wide range of research areas, including combinatorial optimization problems.About Showa Denko K.K.Showa Denko K.K. (SDK; TSE:4004, ADR:SHWDY) is a major manufacturer of chemical products serving from heavy industry to computers and electronics. The Petrochemicals Sector provides cracker products such as ethylene and propylene, the Chemicals Sector provides industrial, high-performance and high-purity gases and chemicals for semicon and other industries, the Inorganics Sector provides ceramic products, such as alumina, abrasives, refractory/graphite electrodes and fine carbon products. The Aluminum Sector provides aluminum materials and high-value-added fabricated aluminum, the Electronics Sector provides HD media, compound semiconductors such as ultra high bright LEDs, and rare earth magnetic alloys, and the Advanced Battery Materials Department (ABM) provides lithium-ion battery components. For more information, please visit www.sdk.co.jp/english/.For further information, contact:Showa Denko K.K., Brand Communication Department, Tel: 81-3-5470-3235 Copyright 2022 ACN Newswire. All rights reserved. (via SEAPRWire)
TSUKUBA, Japan, Jan 18, 2022 - (ACN Newswire via SEAPRWire.com) - Tiny dressings that generate electricity in response to movement could accelerate wound healing and tissue regeneration. Scientists in Taiwan reviewed the latest advances and potential applications of wound healing technology in the journal Science and Technology of Advanced Materials."Piezoelectric and triboelectric nanogenerators are excellent candidates for self-assisted wound healing due to their light weight, flexibility, elasticity and biocompatibility," says bioengineer Zong-Hong Lin of the National Tsing Hua University in Taiwan.The natural wound healing process involves complex interactions between ions, cells, blood vessels, genes and the immune system; with every player triggered by a sequence of molecular events. An integral part of this process involves the generation of a weak electric field by the damaged epithelium - the layer of cells covering tissue. The electric field forms as a result of an ion gradient in the wound bed, which plays an important role in directing cell migration and promoting blood vessel formation in the area.Scientists discovered in the mid- to late-1900s that stimulating tissue with an electric field could improve wound healing. Current research in this field is now focused on developing small, wearable, and inexpensive patches that aren't encumbered by external electrical equipment.This has led to research on piezoelectric materials, including natural materials like crystals, silk, wood, bone, hair and rubber, and synthetic materials such as quartz analogs, ceramics and polymers. These materials generate an electric current when exposed to mechanical stress. Nanogenerators developed using the synthetic materials are especially promising.For example, some research teams are exploring the use of self-powered piezoelectric nanogenerators made with zinc oxide nanorods on a polydimethylsiloxane matrix for accelerating wound healing. Zinc oxide has the advantage of being piezoelectric and biocompatible. Other scientists are using scaffolds made from polyurethane and polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) due to their high piezoelectricity, chemical stability, ease of manufacturing and biocompatibility. These and other piezoelectric nanogenerators have shown promising results in laboratory and animal studies.Another type of device, called a triboelectric nanogenerator (TENG), produces an electric current when two interfacing materials come into and out of contact with each other. Scientists have experimented with TENGs that generate electricity from breathing movements, for example, to accelerate wound healing in rats. They have also loaded TENG patches with antibiotics to facilitate wound healing by also treating localized infection."Piezoelectric and triboelectric nanogenerators are excellent candidates for self-assisted wound healing due to their light weight, flexibility, elasticity and biocompatibility," says bioengineer Zong-Hong Lin of the National Tsing Hua University in Taiwan. "But there are still several bottlenecks to their clinical application."For example, they still need to be customized so they are fit-for-size, as wound dimensions vary widely. They also need to be firmly attached without being negatively affected or corroded by the fluids that naturally exude from wounds."Our future aim is to develop cost-effective and highly efficient wound dressing systems for practical clinical applications," says Lin.Further informationZong-Hong LinNational Tsing Hua UniversityEmail: linzh@mx.nthu.edu.twResearch paper: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/14686996.2021.2015249About Science and Technology of Advanced Materials (STAM)Open access journal STAM publishes outstanding research articles across all aspects of materials science, including functional and structural materials, theoretical analyses, and properties of materials. https://www.tandfonline.com/STAMDr. Yoshikazu ShinoharaSTAM Publishing DirectorEmail: SHINOHARA.Yoshikazu@nims.go.jpPress release distributed by Asia Research News for Science and Technology of Advanced Materials. Copyright 2022 ACN Newswire. All rights reserved. (via SEAPRWire)
SINGAPORE - Hungry Ghost Festival was mistranslated as "Hungary Ghost Festival" in a 2002 Singapore Tourism Board guide. This translation gaffe has stuck in Mr Neo Keng Hwee's mind, so he was quick to respond to a nationwide effort to crowdsource expertise to prevent such errors. Following the launch of the Citizen Translators project in January, Mr Neo has given feedback on errors he has spotted in brochures. Nearly 800 volunteers have registered for the Citizen Translators project so far, said Minister of State for Communications and Information Tan Kiat How at a virtual dialogue for these participants on Wednesday (Nov 10). Under the initiative, citizen translators help identify translation-related errors in government communication materials in Singapore's four official languages. They can also review translated materials by government agencies. These include content from the TraceTogether token collection website and promotional materials by the People's Association, for instance. "Errors in translation are often made because the Chinese language has many homonyms (words that sound similar but have different meanings)," Mr Neo, 39, a Ngee Ann Polytechnic lecturer in Chinese studies, told The Straits Times. At the dialogue with Mr Tan, who chairs the National Translation Committee that runs the project, Mr Neo suggested that the Government partner with polytechnics offering translation courses. "This will help nurture the younger generation of students... and expose them to various genres of materials, so they can make an impact on the overall translation quality in Singapore," said the educator, who has taught Chinese for about 10 years. For another citizen translator, Ms Sharmelee Selvaraji, the need for accurately translated materials hit home when the pandemic worsened in Singapore. In April last year, the PhD student studying neuroscience at the National University of Singapore joined an informal chat group to translate Covid-19-related information to Tamil. "People from the private and public sectors were messaging us for help to translate materials literally every day," said Ms Sharmelee, 26. These translations were very important because some of them were used to inform migrant workers about the Covid-19 symptoms that they needed to report, she added. When the Ministry of Communications and Information sent her an e-mail on the project in April last year, she instantly signed up. She has since been involved in its workshops and feedback exercises. Meanwhile, freelance translator Nur-El-Hudaa Jaffar hopes that her participation can help improve the translation of government communication to Malay. The 51-year-old editorial consultant said: "Some of these translations seem like they are direct translations and can definitely afford to be friendlier." More on this topic Related Story Nearly 800 people volunteer to improve translation of S'pore government materials Related Story Volunteers can help stop S'pore government materials from getting lost in translation
TSUKUBA, Japan, Sep 30, 2021 - (ACN Newswire via SEAPRWire.com) - A new approach can train a machine learning model to predict the properties of a material using only data obtained through simple measurements, saving time and money compared with those currently used. It was designed by researchers at Japan's National Institute for Materials Science (NIMS), Asahi KASEI Corporation, Mitsubishi Chemical Corporation, Mitsui Chemicals, and Sumitomo Chemical Co and reported in the journal Science and Technology of Advanced Materials: Methods. The new approach can predict difficult-to-measure experimental data such as tensile modulus using easy-to-measure experimental data like X-ray diffraction. It further helps design new materials or repurpose already known ones."Machine learning is a powerful tool for predicting the composition of elements and process needed to fabricate a material with specific properties," explains Ryo Tamura, a senior researcher at NIMS who specializes in the field of materials informatics.A tremendous amount of data is usually needed to train machine learning models for this purpose. Two kinds of data are used. Controllable descriptors are data that can be chosen without making a material, such as the chemical elements and processes used to synthesize it. But uncontrollable descriptors, like X-ray diffraction data, can only be obtained by making the material and conducting experiments on it."We developed an effective experimental design method to more accurately predict material properties using descriptors that cannot be controlled," says Tamura.The approach involves the examination of a dataset of controllable descriptors to choose the best material with the target properties to use for improving the model's accuracy. In this case, the scientists interrogated a database of 75 types of polypropylenes to select a candidate with specific mechanical properties.They then selected the material and extracted some of its uncontrollable descriptors, for example, its X-ray diffraction data and mechanical properties.This data was added to the present dataset to better train a machine learning model employing special algorithms to predict a material's properties using only uncontrollable descriptors."Our experimental design can be used to predict difficult-to-measure experimental data using easy-to-measure data, accelerating our ability to design new materials or to repurpose already known ones, while reducing the costs," says Tamura. The prediction method can also help improve understanding of how a material's structure affects specific properties.The team is currently working on further optimizing their approach in collaboration with chemical manufacturers in Japan.Further informationRyo TamuraNational Institute for Materials Science (NIMS)Email: tamura.ryo@nims.go.jpAbout Science and Technology of Advanced Materials: Methods (STAM Methods)STAM Methods is an open access sister journal of Science and Technology of Advanced Materials (STAM), and focuses on emergent methods and tools for improving and/or accelerating materials developments, such as methodology, apparatus, instrumentation, modeling, high-through put data collection, materials/process informatics, databases, and programming. https://www.tandfonline.com/STAM-MDr. Yoshikazu ShinoharaSTAM Methods Publishing DirectorEmail: SHINOHARA.Yoshikazu@nims.go.jpPress release distributed by Asia Research News for Science and Technology of Advanced Materials. Copyright 2021 ACN Newswire. All rights reserved. (via SEAPRWire)
HALIFAX, NS, Aug 6, 2021 - (亚太商讯 via SEAPRWire.com) - 高性能功能材料和纳米复合材料开发商 Meta Materials Inc.(“公司”或“META(R)”)(纳斯达克股票代码:MMAT)今天宣布签署最终协议,META 将间接收购 Nanotech Security Corp.(“ Nanotech") (TSXV:NTS)(OTCQX:NTSFF) 是开发安全且视觉上令人难忘的纳米光学安全功能的领导者,提供用于政府、纸币和品牌保护市场的防伪解决方案,在所有-以每股 Nanotech 普通股 1.25 加元的现金交易,总价值约为 9080 万加元。Nanotech 经验丰富的制造团队、其纳米光子学研发团队及其完善的起源和转换能力的加入,预计将显着扩展和加速 META 的设计到生产路线图,并扩大其在超材料商业化方面的领导地位。 Nanotech 带来最先进的电子束光刻 (EBL)、大容量卷对卷纳米压印 (NIL) 和纳米涂层生产设备,目前产能超过 700 万平方米/年,生产成本显着降低与半导体工艺相比。内部 EBL 功能预计将显着提高 META 与新客户互动的能力并缩短材料选择计划。 META 专有的卷对卷体积全息技术,以及其滚动掩模光刻 (RML(R)) 和相关设计知识和知识产权,提供额外的专有安全应用程序,以帮助扩大 Nanotech 在高容量、高度可定制的安全性方面的领导地位电影。META 主席 Ram Ramkumar 表示:“META 的并购战略侧重于扩大规模和降低生产成本,增强我们的超材料制造能力,并将我们的市场覆盖范围扩展到新的应用和行业。 “我们相信 Nanotech 的超精密、大批量生产能力的加入应该使 META 在大规模商业化超材料方面处于强大的领导地位。”“Nanotech 是 META 的战略收购。它将在我们的产品组合中添加经过测试且具有成本竞争力的生产技术以及新产品和客户。Nanotech 还增加了可以支持 META 市场的互补技能组合,加速我们在太阳能等垂直领域的商业化计划、5G 和其他天线、电池和燃料电池以及碳捕获,” META 总裁兼首席执行官 George Palikaras 说。 “META 计划支持 Nanotech 在魁北克瑟索工厂的扩建,在未来 1-2 年内将其生产能力大约翻一番,达到 1500 万平方米,而 META 在新斯科舍省新建的 68,000 平方英尺工厂将支持大型 OEM 许可机会、制造培训和中试规模的产品应用开发。结合我们计划在新斯科舍省的扩张,Nanotech 的收购预计将使 META 成为世界上大批量、低成本生产光学超材料的领导者之一。”在政府和纸币市场,Nanotech 提供了用于 30 多种纸币面额的安全功能。 2017 年,Nanotech 与一家机密的前 10 名中央银行赢得了一份价值 3000 万加元的多年开发合同,为未来的钞票设计独特的纳米光学安全功能,并且正在寻求获得下一阶段的合同今年晚些时候。“META 的技术平台为两家公司带来了显着的好处。META 强大的技术能力和财务资源可以使 Nanotech 加快其增长计划,而 Nanotech 的大批量卷对卷生产能力可以在几个方面加速 META 的上市战略。垂直市场,” Nanotech 总裁兼首席执行官特洛伊布洛克说。 “Nanotech 的整个团队将加入 META,Nanotech 的管理层将担任关键领导职务,我很高兴能继续以顾问身份与 META 合作。通过 META,我们将获得技术和财务资源,以推进我们的战略目标和加快我们的政府合同,并扩展到功能性薄膜和超材料应用,以超越纸币和品牌保护的大型市场。”纳米技术和资产Nanotech 开发的产品和技术可为品牌保护和钞票市场提供一些最复杂的公开、隐蔽和法医安全功能。其 KolourOptic(R) 技术平台不同于目前市场上的任何其他技术,它产生更薄的安全特征,提供多种颜色、深度和运动,无需使用墨水。例如,1 英寸乘 1 英寸的区域通常具有大约 50 亿个纳米结构。 Nanotech 的技术依赖于科学家所谓的“等离子体”或“纳米光子”结构光捕获方案,类似于蝴蝶翼纳米结构中自然发现的那些。这使得 Nanotech 能够为其客户提供几乎无法复制的定制安全功能。Nanotech 拥有超过 75 年的集体纳米技术研究和生产经验,投资于纳米技术相关知识产权超过 1900 万加元。它拥有 47 项已发布的专利,22 项正在申请的专利,并已为全球客户提供了超过 70 亿项安全功能。在魁北克瑟索,Nanotech 在 11 英亩的土地上拥有最先进的生产设施,建筑面积为 105,000 平方英尺,其中包括约 35,000 平方英尺的高安全生产设施,符合欧洲中央银行的标准, 15,000 平方英尺的空间计划用于立即扩大生产,剩余的 55,000 平方英尺用于未来的扩张。截至 2021 年 6 月 30 日,Nanotech 拥有约 890 万加元的现金和等价物,并且没有债务。交易摘要以下是最终协议中拟定的拟议交易条款的摘要。根据不列颠哥伦比亚省的法律,该交易的结构是一项安排计划。根据最终协议的条款和条件,META 的全资子公司将以每股 1.25 加元的价格购买 Nanotech 100% 的普通股。此外,Nanotech 将回购限制性股份单位(每个 RSU),以每股 RSU 1.25 加元的购买价格收购 538,516 股 Nanotech 普通股,以及以相当于 1.25 加元的购买价格收购 4,579,000 股 Nanotech 普通股的价内期权每个期权减去其行使价。根据该安排应付给证券持有人的对价将以现金支付,总购买价为 9,080 万加元。交易预计将于 10 月初完成,但须满足或放弃惯例成交条件,包括不列颠哥伦比亚省法院的批准,以及 Nanotech 的证券持有人和 Nanotech 的大多数少数股东的批准。无法保证交易将完成。Nanotech 董事会一致通过了最终协议和交易,并一致建议 Nanotech 的证券持有人投票支持交易。Nanotech 的每位董事和高级职员共同持有 Nanotech 19% 的普通股,已签订投票支持协议,同意对其 Nanotech 证券进行投票,以支持根据该协议提交给他们的决议。顾问Cormark Securities Inc. 担任 META 的财务顾问,Hamilton Clark Sustainable Capital, Inc. 向 META 董事会提供了公平意见。 Fasken Martineau DuMoulin LLP 担任公司的加拿大法律顾问,Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati 担任公司的美国法律顾问。Echelon Capital Markets 担任 Nanotech 的财务顾问,并向 Nanotech 董事会提供公平意见。 Borden Ladner Gervais LLP 担任 Nanotech 的加拿大法律顾问,Dorsey & Whitney LLP 担任 Nanotech 的美国法律顾问。网播META 和 Nanotech 管理层将于 2021 年 8 月 5 日美国东部时间上午 10:00 举办网络广播。要注册,请单击此处或将此链接复制到您的浏览器:https://tinyurl.com/252r6z5p。网络广播后将提供重播,可以使用上面的链接访问。关于 Meta Materials Inc.META(R) 通过发明、设计、开发和制造可持续的高功能材料,在一系列应用中提供以前无法实现的性能。我们广泛的技术平台使全球领先品牌能够为消费电子、5G 通信、健康与保健、航空航天、汽车和清洁能源领域的客户提供突破性产品。我们的成就得到了广泛认可,包括被评为全球清洁技术 100 强公司。在 www.metamaterial.com 上了解更多信息。关于纳米技术Nanotech 的产品拥有数十亿种安全特性,包括安全且令人难忘的安全标签、条纹、贴片和用于货币认证和品牌保护的变色箔。KolourOptik(R) 是一项专利视觉技术,专供政府和纸币市场使用,结合亚波长纳米结构和微结构,创造具有独特和可定制光学效果的现代公开安全特征。 KolourOptik 纯等离子体彩色像素产生全彩色、3D 深度和安全条纹和线程中几乎无法复制的运动。LiveOptik(TM) 是一项获得专利的视觉技术,它利用传统全息结构尺寸十分之一的创新纳米光学技术来创建下一代公开安全功能,以满足客户的独特要求。 LiveOptik 提供多色、3D 深度、运动和图像切换,以确保几乎无法复制的安全品牌保护条纹、线和标签。有关 Nanotech 的更多信息,请访问公司网站 www.nanosecurity.ca、加拿大披露文件网站 www.sedar.com 或 OTCMarkets 披露文件网站 www.otcmarkets.com。前瞻性信息本新闻稿包括加拿大证券法和经修订的 1933 年证券法第 27A 条、经修订的 1934 年证券交易法第 21E 条以及私人1995 年证券诉讼改革法案,关于公司、纳米技术、他们的业务和拟议的交易,其中可能包括但不限于关于公司业务战略、产品开发、扩张计划和运营活动的声明,以及Nanotech,以及潜在收购 Nanotech 对公司的好处。通常但并非总是如此,前瞻性信息可以通过使用诸如“潜力”、“预测”、“项目”、“寻求”、“计划”、“预期”、“打算”、“预期”等词来识别、“相信”或此类单词和短语的变体(包括负面变体),或某些行为、事件或结果“可能”、“可能”、“应该”、“将”或“将”被采取、发生或发生的陈述取得成就。此类陈述基于公司管理层对未来事件的当前预期和看法,并基于假设并受风险和不确定性的影响。尽管本公司管理层认为这些陈述所依据的假设是合理的,但它们可能被证明是不正确的。本新闻稿中讨论的前瞻性事件和情况可能不会发生,并且可能因已知和未知的风险因素以及影响公司的不确定性而产生重大差异,包括与 Nanotech 交易的潜在利益相关的风险、Nanotech 的能力设施及其扩建、公司的研发项目、公司和纳米技术产品的市场潜力、公司的市场地位、交易的完成情况、公司生产能力的可扩展性、新产品的产能客户参与、材料选择计划时间表、降低生产成本的能力、增强超材料制造能力并将市场范围扩展到新的应用和行业、加速商业化计划的能力、新客户合同的可能性、纳米技术团队的持续参与、科技行业,市场策略c 和经营活动,以及管理层管理和经营业务的能力。有关可能影响公司业务的这些风险和其他风险的更多详细信息,请参阅公司于 2021 年 7 月 23 日向美国证券交易委员会提交的 8-K 表格中的“前瞻性信息”标题以及公司于 2021 年 5 月 14 日向 SEC 提交的 10-Q 表格、2021 年 3 月 18 日向 SEC 提交的公司 10-K 表格以及 Meta Materials 后续向 SEC 提交的文件,这些文件可在 SEC 网站上找到在 www.sec.gov。尽管本公司已尝试确定可能导致实际行动、事件或结果与前瞻性陈述中描述的情况大不相同的重要因素,但可能还有其他因素导致行动、事件或结果与预期、估计或故意的。因此,读者不应过分依赖任何前瞻性陈述或信息。不能保证前瞻性陈述。除适用的证券法要求外,前瞻性陈述仅在作出之日发表,公司不承担任何公开更新或修订任何前瞻性陈述的义务,无论是由于新信息、未来事件或其他情况,除非法律要求。联系信息:Mark KomonoskiSenior Vice PresidentIntegrous Communications电话: 1-877-255-8483 电子邮件: ir@metamaterial.com媒体查询:media@metamaterial.com资料来源: Meta Materials Inc. Copyright 2021 亚太商讯. All rights reserved. (via SEAPRWire)
TOKYO, Aug 3, 2021 - (JCN Newswire via SEAPRWire.com) - Showa Denko (SDK; TSE:4004) announces that it revises its forecast of consolidated business results for the first half of the year ending on December 31, 2021 and that for the full year ending on December 31, 2021, both of which were announced on July 8, 2021. SDK also announces that it will record extraordinary loss.1. Revision of forecast of consolidated business results for January 1 - June 30, 2021(1) Revised forecast of consolidated business results for January 1 - June 30, 2021Please see www.sdk.co.jp/assets/files/english/news/2021/20210803_sdknewsrelease_e.pdf(2) Reasons for the revisionNet sales hovers around the level of the previous forecast. However, operating incomes of all segments except the Others segment are expected to increase. Especially in the Showa Denko Materials segment, operating income is expected to increase due to a continuously tight supply-demand situation regarding its semiconductor related business. Also in the Petrochemicals segment, operating income is expected to increase due to higher-than-expected product prices resulting from a rise in raw naphtha price. As a result, our ordinary income is expected to show almost as much increase as that in our operating income. However, net income attributable to owners of the parent is expected to show slight improvement because we expect an increase in the extraordinary loss of about 10 billion yen.Major factors of the expected extraordinary loss to be recorded are loss on sale of two businesses of the Aluminum segment, which was announced on January 28, 2021, amounting to about 2.5 billion yen and impairment loss in fixed assets of Showa Denko Materials segment's mobility business amounting to 3.5 billion yen.2. Revision of forecast of consolidated business results for January 1 - December 31, 2021(1) Revised forecast of consolidated business results for January 1 - December 31, 2021Please see www.sdk.co.jp/assets/files/english/news/2021/20210803_sdknewsrelease_e.pdf(2) Reasons for the revisionIn the Petrochemicals segment, net sales are expected to increase due to higher-than-expected prices of major products including ethylene resulting from a rise in raw naphtha price. In the Inorganics segment, net sales are expected to increase due to an increase in the sales volume of graphite electrodes resulting from tight supply-demand situation. In the Showa Denko Materials segment, net sales are expected to increase due to tight supply-demand situation in the semiconductor related business which is expected to continue into the second half of this year.Operating incomes are expected to increase in all segments except the Others segment, centering on the first half of 2021. As a result, our ordinary income is expected to show almost as much increase as that in our operating income. However, net income attributable to owners of the parent is expected to decrease due to recording of extraordinary loss.3. Recording of extraordinary lossIn the first half of this year, SDK will record a loss on sale of two businesses of the Aluminum segment, which was announced on January 28, 2021, amounting to about 2.5 billion yen and an impairment loss in fixed assets of Showa Denko Materials segment's mobility business amounting to 3.5 billion yen. In addition, in the second half of this year (July 1 - December 31), SDK expects that the Showa Denko Materials Segment will record additional cost of improvement in its business structure amounting to about 15 billion yen. About Showa Denko K.K.Showa Denko K.K. (SDK; TSE:4004, ADR:SHWDY) is a major manufacturer of chemical products serving from heavy industry to computers and electronics. The Petrochemicals Sector provides cracker products such as ethylene and propylene, the Chemicals Sector provides industrial, high-performance and high-purity gases and chemicals for semicon and other industries, the Inorganics Sector provides ceramic products, such as alumina, abrasives, refractory/graphite electrodes and fine carbon products. The Aluminum Sector provides aluminum materials and high-value-added fabricated aluminum, the Electronics Sector provides HD media, compound semiconductors such as ultra high bright LEDs, and rare earth magnetic alloys, and the Advanced Battery Materials Department (ABM) provides lithium-ion battery components. For more information, please visit www.sdk.co.jp/english/.For further information, contact:Showa Denko K.K., IR Office, Finance & Accounting Department, Tel: 81-3-5470-3323 Copyright 2021 JCN Newswire. All rights reserved. (via SEAPRWire)


















