Toyoda Gosei and Tohoku University Launch Collaborative Research on Functional Materials — Accelerating the development of high-performance materials for safety, comfort, and decarbonization —
[Key Takeaways]
- Tohoku University and Toyoda Gosei Co., Ltd. established the “Toyoda Gosei x Tohoku University Co-creation Research Institute for Safe, Comfortable, and Decarbonized Functional Materials” on July 1, 2026.
- The institute aims to strategically explore development themes for high-performance materials looking toward 2030 and beyond, while accelerating material development by integrating advanced analysis technologies and Digital Transformation (DX).
[Overview]
Tohoku University (located in Sendai, Miyagi Prefecture; President: Teiji Tominaga) and Toyoda Gosei Co., Ltd. (headquartered in Kiyosu, Aichi Prefecture; President & CEO: Katsumi Saito) established the “Toyoda Gosei x Tohoku University Co-creation Research Institute for Safe, Comfortable, and Decarbonized Functional Materials” (hereinafter referred to as the “Co-creation Research Institute”) on July 1, 2026, at Tohoku University’s Aoba-yama Campus.
The Co-creation Research Institute will drive the development of high-performance materials through industry-academia collaborative research activities, utilizing the facility alongside the “3GeV Next-Generation Synchrotron Radiation Facility: Nano Terasu” (Note 1) as a central hub.
From left: Mr. Okawa (General Manager), Mr. Nakanishi (Advisor), Mr. Yasuda (Executive Vice President), Dr. Toyama (Executive Director), Dr. Okabe (Center Director), and Dr. Takada (Associate Executive Director)
[Glossary]
Note 1:3GeV Next-Generation Synchrotron Radiation Facility “Nano Terasu”
A world-class, cutting-edge, large-scale research facility developed on Tohoku University’s Aoba-yama New Campus, capable of observing the nano-world at a scale of one-billionth of a meter. Nano Terasu utilizes an accelerator to boost electrons to nearly the speed of light, generating highly intense synchrotron radiation (X-rays) that is approximately one billion times brighter than sunlight. By illuminating materials with these rays, researchers can perform advanced observations. This capability supports both foundational science and innovation, with widespread applications across various industrial sectors, including energy, materials, devices, biotechnology, and food products.