NIMS Launches "NIMS - TOYOTA Materials Center of Excellence for Sustainable Mobility"

Aiming at Elucidation of the Mechanism of Fundamental Phenomenaand Development of Generic Technology

2008.07.16

National Institute for Materials Science

The National Institute for Materials Science announces to launch the “NIMS – TOYOTA Materials Center of Excellence for Sustainable Mobility,” which will perform collaborative research with Toyota Motor Corporation.

Abstract

  1. On July 18, the National Institute for Materials Science (Tsukuba City, Ibaraki Pref., President: Teruo Kishi, hereinafter, NIMS) announces to launch the “NIMS – TOYOTA Materials Center of Excellence for Sustainable Mobility,” which will perform collaborative research with Toyota Motor Corporation (President: Katsuaki Watanabe, Toyota City, Aichi Pref.).
  2. The new Research Center will conduct research aimed at elucidating the mechanism of fundamental phenomena and developing generic technology (comprehensive research technology for performing simulation, characterization (analysis and evaluation), and fabrication (synthesis of materials) across the full spectrum from micro-size at the atomic order to macro-size) necessary for creating next-generation automotive materials, with the goal of breaking through technical barriers in materials development.
  3.  Concretely, plans call for beginning from research on next-generation onboard secondary cells for automobiles, as development is urgently required from the viewpoint of environmental and energy problems. The scope of research will then expand successively to include other environmental and energy related materials.
  4. In addition to activities envisioning participation by third party research institutes, the Research Center also intends to train and produce human resources who have acquired the generic technology necessary in materials development through this collaborative research.Because top-class human resources are considered indispensable in this collaborative research between industry and an Independent Administrative Institute (IAI), new talent will be recruited from a wide range of sources, including researchers, post-doctoral fellows, and graduate students with a strong spirit of challenge.
Name of organization
NIMS - TOYOTA Materials Center of Excellence for Sustainable Mobility

Director
Dr. Kotobu Nagai,
Coordinating Director, Materials Research for the Environment and Energy, and Team Leader, Platform Team, Collaboration Promotion Office, NIMS

Location
National Institute for Materials Science 1-2-1 Sengen, Tsukuba City, Ibaraki Pref.

Activities
Research on next-generation onboard secondary cells for automobiles