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The entire phenomenal world is made up of materials. Research into materials is based on the science of exploring the origins and properties of materials and the changes they undergo.
All materials are composed of combinations of the more than 100 distinct elements that are currently known. The diversity of the resulting structures extends far beyond the human imagination. Materials are not only used as the raw substances for industrial products, foodstuffs, and sources of energy, but they make up the structure and substance of the human body itself. In a sense, then, material research is a key technology for all industries, and at the same time it forms the very foundation of everyday human life. In our research into materials, we focus on three interrelated elements: material synthesis, material conversion, and creation of new functions. Our basic approach is to explore all aspects of the possibilities and extremes of materials, while learning lessons from sophisticated mechanisms found in nature. Priority is currently being placed on research in four principal fields: reaction processes, new materials, energy and the environment, and analysis and theory. In the field of new chemical reaction process, during which new materials are created, we concentrate on developing new reaction systems and creating new substance groups. Studies are being made on heteroatom chemistry, for example, to create new materials by combining various elements in new ways by use of such advanced fields as high pressure, new polymer synthesis, creation of polymers whose chemical structure is precisely controlled, highly selective catalyst systems like enzymes, and hybrid processes which combine reaction and separation. Research also covers technologies related to new materials; material design and structural control at the molecular level; heterogeneous chemical combinations; heterogeneous composite materials combining different sub-stances; and molecular system materials where functional coordination among biomimic molecules is achieved. In the field of energy and the environment, research is being carried out in relation to environmentally harmonized recycling technology, environment-friendly reaction systems, and new energy technology using sunlight, hydrogen, and other renewable resources. Another important field is analysis and theory. Studies in this field result in new basic principles and new methods of measurement and analysis. We are also involved in developing technologies related to standards and the safety and security of chemicals and materials that provide the foundation for all industries.
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