Promote joint research in a wide range of fields such as machinery, materials, biotechnology, and aerospace
The Faculty of Science and Engineering conducts a wide range of technical research and development in collaboration with automobile manufacturers, material manufacturers, bio-related manufacturers, aerospace-related companies, research institutes such as the Aerospace Research and Development Organization (JAXA), local governments, and other universities. We have actively promoted them and achieved many results.
Research on acoustic performance prediction technology for laminated soundproofing materials including felt or urethane form
Finite element model of layered soundproofing material
[Joint research destination] Asahi Rubber Co., Ltd. Felt and urethane form are widely used as soundproofing materials for automobiles. In order to improve sound absorption and insulation performance, they are also often used by laminating with rubber sheets, vinyl films, felts, etc. The sound absorption and sound insulation performance of felt and urethane form alone shows good results even with commercially available analysis software for performance prediction, but the analysis accuracy is low when these materials are laminated (especially when non-breathable materials are laminated) and the acoustic characteristics cannot be fully predicted. In this research, we are conducting technical research to make it possible to predict the sound absorption and insulation performance of laminated soundproof materials including felt and urethane form.
Development of fiber sound absorption coefficient prediction technology with automobile manufacturers
Fiber sound absorbing material used in automobiles
We develop a prediction technology for how much sound the fiber absorbs. In order to predict the sound absorption coefficient of fibers, it is necessary to measure Biot parameters, which requires a large-scale measuring device. Therefore, we develop a technology to predict the sound absorption performance from the fiber diameter, density, and texture of the fiber, and study the optimum fiber diameter and fiber composition for automobiles.
Research on combustion and heat transfer in the ironmaking process
Blast furnace diagram (from "Book for Understanding Iron and Steel" edited by Nippon Steel Corporation)
[Joint research destination] Nippon Steel & Sumitomo Metal Corporation We conduct basic research on combustion and heat transfer mechanisms in order to reduce the required energy and CO2 emissions in steelmaking processes such as blast furnaces.
Development of a small artificial satellite produced in Tochigi Prefecture
Development of a small artificial satellite produced in Tochigi Prefecture
[Joint research destination] Tochigi prefecture and cooperating companies in Tochigi prefecture It is no exaggeration to say that the microsatellite "TeikyoSat-4" launched from the Uchinoura Space Center at 9:55 am on Tuesday, November 9, 2021 is a satellite produced in Tochigi. Design and manufacture of OBC board, development of highly reliable power supply system (Dainikko Engineering Co., Ltd.), design and manufacture of CFRP panel (Tetsuka Create Co., Ltd.), manufacture of satellite housing (Toto Kogyo Co., Ltd.), module container Design and manufacture (Yuhara Seisakusho Co., Ltd.),design and manufacture of MLI(Tochigi Kaneka Co., Ltd.), environmental test (Tochigi Prefectural Industrial Technology Center), and mounting of nameplates with the names of related parties and collaborators. It became an artificial satellite of "Industry-Government-Academia-Private Partnership".
[Joint research destination] ALE Co., Ltd., Tokyo Metropolitan University, Nihon University, etc. In collaboration with ALE Co., Ltd., Tokyo Metropolitan University, Nihon University and other companies and universities, we conduct research activities toward the realization of a system that generates artificial shooting stars using microsatellite. In this artificial shooting star project, we aim to generate shooting stars freely in the night sky of the region at the desired time by precisely releasing a meteor source made of a special material from the orbit in a predetermined direction and re-entering the atmosphere. At Watanabe Laboratory in Department of Aerospace Engineering, we are in charge of various tests and performance measurements of emission mechanisms developed by specialized manufacturers, and development research of mechanisms that supply meteor sources inside satellites, and basic experiments using prototype models, and so on.
Joint research with companies on biofuel production technology using microalgae
Biofuel production technology
Through joint research with companies developing biofuels, we work on to connect our cutting-edge research to applications. Future progress is expected in the analysis of environmental responses at the genetic level of microalgae and molecular breeding.
Research on health functional ingredients contained in high cocoa chocolate
Cacao and chocolate
[Joint research destination] Meiji Co., Ltd. What is labeled as CACAO72, CACAO86, CACAO70, and chocolate that contains a lot of cocoa beans, which is the raw material of chocolate, is called high cocoa chocolate. Department of Biosciences Laboratory (Professor Jinichiro Koga) of the Department of Bioscience works on joint research with Meiji Co., Ltd., and discovered the cacao protein (protein contained in cacao beans) contained in high cacao chocolate prepares the intestinal environment and improvement of defecation first time in the world. In addition, by ingesting high cocoa chocolate, the intestinal bacterium "Fekari" that produces buty acid (short-chain fatty acid), which is expected to suppress colon cancer, prevent inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), and prevent diabetes. An increase in "bacteria" was observed in the human intestine. This discovery was taken up by many media including NHK General "Asaichi", Mainichi Shimbun, and Asahi Shimbun. As a result, high cacao chocolate became a big hit, and confectionery sections are still crowded with high cacao chocolate products.
