Type: INT 97-30 NSF/Tokyo Report: MITI'S Polymer Project Date: 7/31/97 The National Science Foundation's offices in Tokyo and in Paris periodically report on developments abroad that are related to the Foundation's mission. These documents present facts for the use of NSF program managers and policy makers; they are not statements of NSF policy. Report Memorandum #97-08 July 24, 1997 MITI's Polymer Project MITI's (Ministry of International Trade and Industry) Industrial Science and Technology Frontier Program (ISTF) aims at promoting fundamental and creative R&D directed towards the ultimate goal of contributing to sustained economic development both in Japan and other countries. The ISTF supports 8 technology fields as listed below. The research directors for each field determine needs for national programs and prepare feasibility studies that will later lead to an R&D project. The needs of the R&D project determine whether or not applications from around the world will be accepted. FIELDS: Superconductivity New Materials Biotechnology Electronics, Information and Communication Machinery and Aerospace Natural Resources Human, Life and Society Medicine and Welfare The project entitled "Technology for Novel, Highly-Functional Materials" was launched in JFY1996 under the New Materials field. This project was funded with 300 million yen in the JFY1996 (April 1995-March 1996) budget. The project will last 5 years from JFY1996 through JFY2001. 1.7 billion yen was budgeted for the project in JFY1997. It is expected that the project will have the same level of funding each year from JFY1997 through the year 2001. This project was broadcast on NEDO's homepage (http://www.nedo.ac.jp). The following description of "Technology for Novel, Highly-Functional Materials" is an edited version of the one that appeared on NEDO's homepage when the program solicitation was announced. Industrial Science and Technology Basic Plan for "Technology for Novel, Highly-Functional Materials" The objective is to generate extremely high performance and highly functional materials through innovative development of synthetic materials and to develop generating technologies by precisely controlling the structure and process of an organic high polymer or a molecular aggregate at the molecular level. Technological domain 1: "New Bio-mimetic materials" This technology will generate new, extremely high-performance and highly-functional raw materials and new materials, by imitating the precise structure and function of a living system. Technological domain 2: "Structure control and Synthetic process technology" This technology will achieve the expression of new and/or more advanced functions and performance of materials, and will improve their synthetic processes as well as precisely controlling the structure and processing of materials, ranging from the atomic/molecular to the macro level, in order to generate new materials and new reaction processes. Themes of research The research and development will be carried out in accordance with the following themes: Technological domain 1 - "New Bio-mimetic materials" (1) Advanced stimuli responsive materials (2) Harmonized molecular materials Technological domain 2 - "Structure control and Synthetic process technology" (1) Precision catalytic polymerization (2) Polymer structure control (3) Multi-dimensional polymer structures Research and Development Plan for each Research Theme Technological Domain #1: "New Bio-mimetic materials" A. R&D for "Advanced Stimuli Responsive Materials" The objective is to achieve the expression of stimuli response functions to realize innovative stimuli response materials that continuously change their shape/properties according to changes in the condition of a molecular aggregate depending on a stimulus, as well as to establish fundamental technology related to synthesis and materialization. Advanced Stimuli Responsive Polymer Materials PI: Dr. Katsuhiko Ueno National Institute of Materials and Chemical Research (NIMCR) Advanced Stimuli Responsive Composite Materials PI: Dr. Keisuke Oguro Osaka National Research Institute, AIST B. R&D for "Harmonized Molecular Materials" The objective is to make new functional molecular materials by directing the shape, size and phase of target materials through the control of weak intermolecular interactions (molecular harmonization) and to pursue their application. PI: To be decided Technological domain #2: "Structure control and synthetic process technology" A. R&D for "Precision Catalytic Polymerization" The objective is to establish the basic technology for development of polymerization catalysts and innovative precise addition polymerization which precisely controls the polymer structure of molecular weight, stereoregularity, copolymerization, and terminal structure at which level the performance of addition polymers is expected to improve rapidly. Precision addition polymerization PI: Dr. Yoshio Okamoto Nagoya University Precision Coordination Polymerization PI: Dr. Kazuo Soga Japan Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, Hokuriku B. R&D for "Polymer Structure Control" The objective is to facilitate materials development, pursuing higher performance/functions, by developing precise structure-controlled polymer synthesis technology, that has been difficult to develop, by controlling condensation and ring-opening reactions at the atomic/molecular level. Precision condensation polymerization PI: Dr. Mitsuru Ueda Yamagata University Controlled ring-opening polymerization PI: Dr. Takeshi Endo Tokyo Institute of Technology C. R&D for "Multi-dimentional Polymer Structures" The objective is to generate precise synthesis technology using enzymatic catalysts and new polymer structures that have a new non-covalent linkage which is different from the traditional linear one-dimensional polymer and/or a new polymer family that has new topological structures. Polymer precision synthesis using enzymatic polymerization PI: Dr. Shiro Kobayashi Tohoku University Chemical synthesis technology for producing polymers with non-covalent bond linkages and new topological structures PI: Dr. Toshimi Shimizu National Institute of Materials and Chemical Research (NIMCR) The URLs of the organizations PIs are affiliated can be found by visiting: http://www.twics.com/~nsftokyo/japan.html#UNIV-N or http://www.twics.com/~nsftokyo/japan.html#GOVT The above information was obtained from: Research Division MITI/AIST 1-3-1, Kasumigaseki Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 102 JAPAN FAX: 011-81-3-3501-5953 ISTF (Industrial Science and Technology Frontier Program) MITI 1-3-1, Kasumgaseki Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 102 JAPAN FAX: 011-81-3-3501-9229 Applied Technology Development Room NEDO (New Energy Development Organization) Sunshine 60 Building 3-1-1, Higashi Ikebukuro Toshima-ku, Tokyo 170 JAPAN FAX: 011-81-3-3981-1536 Japan High Polymer Center (JHPC) 2-5-3, Kuramae Taito-ku, Tokyo 111 JAPAN FAX: 011-81-3-3864-4627