Advanced Materials Development Laboratory

For the purpose of creating new businesses that contribute to solving societal issues, including those in the SDGs, the Advanced Materials Development Laboratory conducts wide-ranging research and development of new, high-performance materials in the important fields of Health Care, Reducing Environmental Impact, Food, and ICT, as well as in their cross-over areas. Specifically, the laboratory is developing polymer organic light emitting diodes (PLEDs) used for next-generation displays; functional polymer materials related to printed electronics for organic photodiode sensors that are expected to find uses in the fields of security and health care; and functional inorganic materials, advanced organic materials, and organic-inorganic hybrid materials that can be used for next-generation battery-related applications aimed at next-generation vehicles, IoT, and a society based on the circular economy.
The laboratory also conducts exploratory research for new materials by utilizing open innovation and our company’s global network, and develops designs for materials as well as synthesis and processing technologies through the combination of materials informatics, structural analysis, and computational science, while considering business models and conducting premarketing research in cooperation with business divisions.

  • Surface analyzer

  • Evaluation of a prototype PLED device

Major Research Areas

Advanced organic materials, functional inorganic materials and functional polymer materials

  • High crystallinity nanoparticles whose structure is highly controlled

The laboratory promotes exploratory research on and development of materials and technologies that will lead to creation of new businesses, by further combining the wide-ranging, advanced technologies, including catalysts, organic polymer materials, inorganic materials, and design, synthesis, and processing for devices, that Sumitomo Chemical has accumulated over many years through research and development of polymer materials, such as dyes, pharmaceuticals, crop protection chemicals, synthetic resins and rubbers, as well as metallic and ceramic materials.

Research and development for basic technologies

  • Computer simulation

Materials informatics, technologies for analyzing structure and physical properties, and computer simulation technology play an important role in the development of functional materials. Research and development are being conducted on materials informatics, structural analysis technologies, and computational science technologies, as basic technologies that support the development of materials by the entire company.

Development of materials related to printed electronics

Over many years, Sumitomo Chemical has accumulated technologies for the design and synthesis of conductive polymer materials and for device design. Combining these core technologies, the laboratory is working on the development of organic photodiode sensors, polymer photovoltaic cells, organic transistors, and PLED, which is expected to succeed liquid crystal and plasma display technologies in thin panel televisions.

  • Luminescent materials of PLEDs

  • Polymer photovoltaic cells

  • Organic photodiode sensor

Development of energy-related materials

  • Image of a next-generation car

    Image of a next-generation car

The laboratory is conducting development of energy-related materials including those for next-generation batteries, which are expected to see practical applications in next-generation automobiles and the IoT society.