AWARDS
The 19th (2019) Green and Sustainable Chemistry Award Winners
Awarded by the Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry
Development of a Completely Process-less Printing Plate for Newspaper
Shuji SHIMANAKA, Yusuke NAMBA, Yuya MIYAGAWA, Shumpei WATANABE and Tomoki OCHIMIZU
FUJIFILM Corporation
For the first time in Japan, we have succeeded in launching the completely Process-less Printing Plate for Newspaper. The completely process-less Printing Plate does not need the developing process with a processor, so all the chemicals, water, waste solution, electricity for developing are reduced to zero. This technology brings about an ultimate resource saving effect.
Awarded by the Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology
Development of Highly Efficient Perovskite Solar Cells
Atsushi WAKAMIYA and Yoshihiko KANEMITSU
Kyoto University
Perovskite solar cells are promising next generation printable photovoltaics that have the features of light, flexible, and highly efficient power conversion even under low-light condition. We have devoted our efforts on the development of these solar cells from the viewpoints of materials chemistry. In this presentation, we will introduce our research on perovskite solar cells.
Awarded by the Minister of the Environment
Development of Environment-Friendly Hydrofluoroolefin "AMOLEA"
Hidekazu OKAMOTO, Hirokazu TAKAGI, Masato FUKUSHIMA, Takashi HAYASE and Noriyuki KOMURO
AGC Inc.
Global warming caused by hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), which have been increasingly used in place of CFCs, has become a new issue. To solve this problem, three products of hydrofluoroolefin (HFO) have been developed as alternative substances with low global warming potential (GWP). By establishing its own manufacturing method utilizing its own chemical chain, it was possible to start commercial sales under the AMOLEA brand. By replacing these AMOLEA products, it is possible to greatly reduce the environmental load.
Venture Capitals Award
Efficient Application of Chitin Nanofibers Obtained from Crab Shell Waste
Marine Nano-fiber Co., Ltd.
Chitin nanofiber is a novel material obtained from crab shell waste. It has a fine morphology with 10nm thick. It is prepared from crab shell after series chemical treatments and the subsequent mechanical treatment. It has efficient mechanical properties due to its extended crystalline structure. So, it is available for reinforcement filler to make strong composite materials. The characteristics of the nanofiber is a variety of biological properties. To spread the efficient novel nanomaterial, university originated venture company has been launched from 2018. Partially modified chitin nanofiber was provided as a functional ingredient. Several commercial products, such as cosmetics, health food, scalp lotion, lip cream and so on, are commercially sold.
Venture Capitals Award
DualPoreTM Technology Enabling Highly Efficient Adsorption and Recovery of Metals from Low or Sub-ppm Concentrations
DPS Inc.
Our newly developed DualPoreTM silica consists of a microporous continuous framework structure with small pores in nanometer showing excellent flow-dynamic adsorption characteristics in a column system. As Metal Scavenger, it can adsorb extremely low concentrations of metal that is impossible with conventional technology and, thus, can apply to recover a trace amount of residual precious metal of sub-ppm from a used catalyst or plating solution which is otherwise thrown away. Also it can be readily utilized to purify fine chemicals into an ultra-pure grade without any capital investment.
Incentive Award
Development of Polyurethanes Using Novel Bio-based Isocyanate and Its Derivatives
Satoshi YAMASAKI(*1), Hirokazu MORITA(*2), Toshihiko NAKAGAWA(*1), Atsunori SHINDO(*1) and Masaaki SASAKI(*2)
(*1)Mitsui Chemicals, Inc., (*2) Tianjin Cosmo Polyurethane Co., Ltd.
STABiOTM PDITM is a world´s first new bio-based 1,5-pentane diisocyanate with high performances. STABiOTM PDITM based derivatives (polyisocyanates) can decrease the curing temperature and reduce curing time at polyurethane coating and adhesion applications involved in energy reduction. It gives high-performance polyurethane coating which show improved chemical resistance and reactivity with polyol. STABiOTM PDITM can be applied to various polyurethane uses in addition to the coating and adhesive, so it can contribute to enviromental protection.
Incentive Award
CO2 Recycling by Using Concrete Sludge and Complete Utilization of Byproducts
NIPPON CONCRETE INDUSTRIES Co., Ltd., Atsushi IIZUKA(*1), Akihiro YAMASAKI(*2)
(*1)Tohoku University, (*2)Seikei University
Nippon Concrete Industries Co., Ltd. developed a new type of mineral CO2 capture and utilization (MCC&U) process by using concrete sludge with Tohoku and Seikei Universities. In the process, the concrete sludge, waste concrete from the concrete industry, is partially converted to calcium carbonate, namely, Eco Tankaru, with CO2 in the flue gas, and the residue is used as an agent for environmental pollution control, "PAdeCS®". Thus, the waste concrete can be totally converted to valuable products with multiple practical uses. The process is operated under ambient temperature and atmospheric pressure without using additional chemicals.
Incentive Award
Multifunctional Catalytic Surface for Environmentally-benign Fine Chemicals Synthesis
Ken MOTOKURA
Tokyo Institute of Technology
Multiactive site catalysts have been developed for environmentally-benign organic synthetic reactions. Silica surface with a metal complex and organic functionality enabled highly efficient carbon-carbon/carbon-heteroatom bond-forming reactions. Cooperativity between surface Pd complex and silanol groups realized allylation reaction with allylic alcohol. The catalyst design concept has also been applied to transformation of carbon dioxide to cyclic carbonate and reduced products.
Incentive Award
CO2 Absorption Property of Ionic Liquid and Its Utilization in CO2 Separation Technology
Takashi MAKINO
National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology
I have investigated the CO2-absorption property of ionic liquid to develop novel absorbents for CO2 separation. These absorbents include, for example, the ionic liquid physical absorbent, of which the CO2 solubility is ~10% higher than of the commercial physical absorbent. Another example is ionic liquid chemical absorbents that exhibit the high temperature-dependency of the CO2 solubility. These ionic liquid absorbents enable us to establish the energy-saving CO2 separation process contributing to CO2-emission reduction and carbon-recycle.