| POLYMERS Vol.67 No.2 |
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COVER STORY
Innovative Materials and Technology for New Era |
| COVER STORY: Highlight Reviews |
| The Development of Thermal Management Materials, Required Strongly in Furture Life | Yasuyuki AGARI |
| <Abstract> Highly thermal conductive polymer materials and highly thermal emissive coatings have been used as heat releasing materials in the field of electronic industry. Recently, other thermal management materials (thermal barrier coating, thermal insulation, thermal storage, thermoelectric device, etc.) have also been developing, in order to solve environmental problems. Here, we explained current research of thermal management materials. The development of highly thermal conductive polymer materials was performed in considering how fillers were connected. The new thermal emissive polymer material was white or clear. The thermal conductivity of new highly insulative materials was as low as that of vaccum insulators. A new thermal storage of polymer materials was made of micro capsule or gel. A new thermoelectric device was investigated by using electric conductive polymer. Thus, various types of thermal management materials have been developed for saving energy and environmental problems solution. Keywords: Thermal Management Materials / Thermal Conductivive Polymer Materials / Thermal Emissive Coating / Thermal Barrier Coating / Thermal Insulation / Thermal Storage / Thermoelectric Device |
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| Flame Retardant Technology for Peaceful and Safe Social Life | Hitoshi NISHIZAWA |
| <Abstract> Lately, combustible polymeric materials have been increasingly used in our lifes. The safety improvement of society by flame retardant technology became a very important theme, and contributes to the development of safety and a peaceful life in our societies. I would like to describe the background of this situation on the basis of present flame retardant technology. Keywords: Flame Retardants / Flame Retardant Mechanism / Flame Retardant Regulations / Enviromental Safety / Synergism |
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| COVER STORY: Topics and Products |
| F/T Sensors Connecting Human and Information Environment | Toshiaki TSUJI |
| <Abstract> This paper introduces the technology of force/torque (F/T) sensors. The F/T sensor is one of the key technologies for human-computer and human-machine interaction. The F/T sensors have been mainly implemented to robots. Some interfaces for computers and games also use F/T sensors. By implementing torque sensors on the joints, human-robot interaction with highly safe control is realized. A desk with haptic sensation can be assembled by simply fixing F/T sensors to the legs of a ready-made desk. Biometrics using an F/T sensor has a high potential security because the force information cannot be detected by a third party. Force visualization is also a good example of the application since the tools for augmented reality have already been developed a lot. These technologies are good candidates for future technology using F/T sensors. Keywords: Force Sensing / Tactile Sensing / Haptics |
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| Aim of New Electric Vehicle “rimOnO” and Why It uses Soft Material for Its Body | Shinsuke ITO |
| <Abstract> “rimOnO” is a new type of electric powered small vehicle covered with waterproof textile and soft touch body. Former bureaucrat Shinsuke Ito will talk about why he has collaborated with former Toyota designer to create this new type of transportation. Keywords: Textile / Urethane / Electric Vehicle / rimOnO / City Design / Dress-Up / Cute |
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| Measurement of Simultaneous Multi-Gas Diffusion Coefficients using Thermal Desorption System for Estimating Gas-Barrier Performance of Coatings for Building Materials | Ryoma KITAGAKI |
| <Abstract> Coatings for building materials are very important for extending a building’s longevity, because they act as barriers on the surface of building materials and interrupt gases from the atmosphere to diffuse, such as CO2, H2O, and O2. Several techniques and methodologies for maintainining building longevity, especially, periodical coating on the surface of buildings are now required in Japan. Generally speaking, gas barrier performance of coating materials are estimated based on JIS K 7126, and JIS Z 0208 in Japan, but the coatings for building materials are not easy to apply according to these standards, because of the complexity of building materials in themselves. Our group is now researching the estimation of gas diffusivity in coatings for building material and hope to measure diffusion coefficients of coatings for building materials as accurate as possible using thermal desorption systems. Thermal desorption systems are used in estimating gas diffusivity in metals and we focused on its positive aspects that it can measure gas diffusivity of several gas species simultaneosly. In this arcticle, the gas diffusivity of CO2, H2O, and O2 in polyurethane materials for buildings were measured and the results of simultaneous measurements were disscussed. Keywords: Diffusion Coefficient / Building Material Coatings / Thermal Desorption System |
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| People-Friendly Life Realized with 3D Printing of Polymers | Hidemitsu FURUKAWA |
| <Abstract> Various technologies have dramatically changed our lifestyle over the last decade. Even in the polymer field, the wave of digitization is getting on and the research style is changing. The 3D printer which is the digital material manufacturing technology (i.e. Additive Manufacturing) will evolve dramatically in the next ten years, and human being will aim to be able to connect molecules freely in molecular scale 3D space. Beyond that, we can imagine the future that the evolution of macromolecular 3D digital manufacturing technology will extend to our surroundings, and our lifestyle will change to be more people-friendly. Keywords: Gels / 3D Printing / Medical Applications / Food / Robotics / Digitalization |
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| Self-Folding Origami Structures | Tomohiro TACHI |
| <Abstract> Self-folding is a bio-inspired principle for making shapes and structures from planar sheets through their mechanisms based on origami patterns. Because of the universality of computational origami design, virtually any shape can be manufactured through the process of folding. Currently, polymer gels and shape memory polymers are used to actuate such systems. A typical and critical problem in current self-folding systems is the defects in the folding process. The author identifies that the bifurcation of the kinematic system causes the defects. The bifurcation behavior is an interpretation of why making the folding is more challenging than unfolding. Avoiding such bifurcation is the theoretical breakthrough to make self-folding systems possible. The author also proposes the use of bifurcation for realizing multi-functional systems and re-programmable matters, such as morphing architecture, transformer robots, and phase changing meta-materials. Keywords: Origami / Self-Folding / Kinematics / Mechanical Metamaterial / Reprogrammable Matter |
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| Development of Flexible Protector by Controlling Crosslink Density of Epoxy Resin | Masahiro HIGUCHI |
| <Abstract> Flexible sports protectors whose outer shells harden only under impact are proposed by virtue of the time dependency on elastic modulus. In order to control the time dependency, a crosslink density of epoxy resin was changed. The time dependency on elastic modulus was investigated by dynamic viscoelastic measurements. In addition, prototype shin guards with the controlled epoxy resin as an outer shell were designed and fabricated based on the time dependency of the elastic modulus. The fabricated shin guards were confirmed to be sufficiently flexible in wearing. In addition, the impact tests revealed that the proposed shin guards have high impact absorption over commercially available shin guards. Keywords: Impact Engineering / Epoxy Resin / Crosslink Density / Time Dependency / Protector |
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| Polymer Science and I: A Personal Account |
| Chance, Challenge, and Change ! | Akifumi KAWAMURA |
| <Abstract> “Chance, Challenge, and Change!” is my motto in research. Recently, I have found that “Chances” have been provided for me by professors, colleagues, and supervisors. To be a full-fledged researcher, I have to create the “chances” by aggressive actions, and work on the chance, and finally change myself. |
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| Front-Line Polymer Science |
| Viscoelasticity of Semiflexible Polymer Solutions: Cellusose, Its Derivatives, and Cellulose Nanofiber | Reina TANAKA, Tadashi INOUE |
| <Abstract> Rheo-optical studies on linear viscoelastic properties of semiflexible chains in dilute solutions were briefly reviewed. Firstly, model calculations of the bead-spring model and a model by Morse et al. for semiflexible rods are explained. Based on these theoretical results, the experimental results for cellulose in an ionic liquid are discussed to indicate a weak viscoelastic relaxation due to local motions in addition to the bead-spring mode. Rheo-optical data for cellulose tris phenyl carbamate, which is more rigid than cellulose are shown and viscoelastic relaxation mode due to tension of thermally bended chains is demonstrated. Finally, rheo-optical data for the cellulose nano fiber, CNF, are depicted and a new method to determine the length and its distributon of CNF is explained. Keywords: Viscoelasticiy / Semiflexible Chain / Birefringence / Cellulose / Cellulose Nano Fiber |
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