Vol.1 No.4 2009

13/79

Research paper : Development of high power and high capacity lithium secondary battery based on the advanced nanotechnology (I. Honma)−230 Synthesiology - English edition Vol.1 No.4 (2009) organization, the end user downstream may receive some technology quite different from one they were expecting. In this industry-academia-government vertical collaboration, the direction of basic research was set by participation of all organizations at commencement of the project and the technological development demanded by the automaker was fed back to university and AIST, to speed up downstream technological transfer that usually takes time and to ensure accurate technological transfer needed for the product. Distance between upstream and downstream was “shortened” by maintaining straight passage of technology flow. We succeeded in creating extremely hopeful innovative material, nanocrystal electrode, in three-year development period, and were fortunate to be able to develop innovative technology and built bridge between nanotechnology and energy technology that are generally considered difficult to join. Although the project achieved sufficient performance as power source for HEV, the product development of small cell is still in progress, using nanocrystal electrode for power tool that can be commercialized in few years.Figure 13 shows the synthesiological method of innovation that are categorized as R&D processes, and convergence mechanism with vertical collaboration as explained in this paper is effective for product for which final goal is clear. For realization in short time period, it is most efficient to converge technology into the final product by integrating various elemental technology, and under vertical collaborative system, the technology transfer can be accomplished in shortest time period. On the other hand, if the goal is to create innovative sprout technology that does not exist or to seek diverse and highly generalized technological standard, co-creation mechanism with horizontal collaboration is better. This can generate diverse innovation potential and contributes to wide-ranging industry in horizontal manner. Although this paper described the example of convergence mechanism, both mechanisms are important as Synthesiological method of innovation at AIST. It is necessary to continue refining the methodology.5 Future issuesFigure 1 shows the overview of the batter industry, and for application to automobile power source, upsizing process, safety, and cost performance are required at high level in addition to capacity and cycle properties. Since the development period of this research was only three years, we did not reach realization of automobile power source. The vertical collaboration scheme is mechanism that enables swift and sufficient technological transfer to all collaborating organizations. On the other hand, there is still very high hurdle in directing research through feedback from automaker to university and AIST and straight technological transfer from basic research to automaker. For upsizing battery, there will be no technological leap forward from small size level of cell phones and laptops to large battery for cars, but the technology will develop through several intermediate phases. In that sense, to create innovations, it is necessary to conduct industry-academia-government vertical collaboration that takes in consideration realistic conditions such as limited time and budget, as well as market strategy and technological potential of participating companies.6 SummaryAs diversity and speed are demanded in innovations and various collaborative R&D are sought, this paper discussed the convergent Synthesiological method of innovation by interdisciplinary fusion and industry-academia-government vertical collaboration as effective R&D process, using the example of high-power battery development. Based on the chemical synthesis process created at the university, AIST succeeded in developing nanocrystal electrode, which is high-performance active material that realizes high capacity and high output properties. As result of collaborative development with battery manufacturer to apply the active material concept to products, it succeeded in fabricating prototype of high-performance lithium battery with 30 Wh/kg and 3 kW/kg, which are performances demanded for regeneration power source for HEV. Moreover, superior cycle property needed for product realization was obtained compared to current product. Currently, R&D of product that will be commercialized in few years as power tool battery is in progress to utilize the result of this vertical collaboration development at participating battery manufacturer. Nanocrystal electrode is innovation of storage technology that was born from the fusion of nanotechnology and energy technology, and industry-academia-government vertical collaboration was a scheme appropriate for achieving strategic goal in short time through swift investigation of efficacy of innovation potential.As discussed in this paper, creation of innovation potential that cannot be done by university or industry alone can be done easily at AIST, which is a consolidated research center that is capable of becoming core research institute in collaborative research. The reasons are because there are many researchers and wide research spectrum exists within one organization, and AIST can create diverse innovation potential highly efficiently through fusion of various disciplines. It was also demonstrated that R&D in vertical collaboration with participation by end user company was effective to swiftly check the possibility of application to target product. The new Synthesiological method of innovation (interdisciplinary fusion plus vertical collaboration) is an extremely effective scenario in speeding up R&D. In the R&D for high-power lithium secondary battery using nanotechnology, it was possible to develop the nanocrystal electrode, which is innovative material technology, to product realization phase in short time of three (10)−

※このページを正しく表示するにはFlashPlayer9以上が必要です