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Contributing to spread of "Materials to transform the Future" to realize a carbon-neutral society
2022.06.27
The Government of Japan has declared that Japan will reduce Green House Gas(GHG) Emissions to "Zero by 2050" amongst of worldwide challenges against to the global climate change.
The declared "Zero" is realized not only reducing emissions of GHG such as carbon dioxide, but also accelerating absorption and removal of GHG as balance. These kinds of so called "carbon neutral" activities are now under performance in worldwide.
There are various approaches to aim a carbon neutral society. In Automobile industry as an example, "Shifting from Gasoline cars to electric vehicles", "Reducing fuel consumption with lighter Autobody weight" and "Changing raw materials of applying plastics from fossil fuel to biomass" etc. can be mentioned as main measures toward carbon neutral.
"Products and Materials to transform the future" such as Lithiumion batteries and Biomass Plastics are attracting attention as solutions for Important Materiality in the markets.
However, any attractive materials can not be spread through world, if you can not manufacture and supply them to meet their market demand.
JSW Group provides various equipment to manufacture and process a wide range of materials. Our role is to develop and provide unique manufacturing and molding/processing technologies to support for spreading any new products and materials which are not yet widely used, manufactured and established handling methods, into appropriate markets.
JSW Group is contributing to realize a carbon-neutral society as assisting for the manufacture, molding and processing "products and materials to transform the future" to promote them into widespread utilization.
Under a global trend toward Carbon Neutral Society, not small kinds of material/product are having higher demand as re-evaluated their each value, increasing their use applications.
JSW Group is able to provide equipment/facilities to manufacture such higher demand materials/products toward the stable supply conditions.
Lithium-ion batteries have become an indispensable part of our daily lives. Demand for lithium-ion batteries has increased dramatically in recent years, as they power smartphones and PC batteries, as well as EVs and HEVs (electric hybrid vehicles).
A lithium-ion battery consists of four major parts: cathode, anode, electrolyte, and separator. The separator is a plastic film that plays an important role in preventing contact between the cathode and anode while allowing the lithium ions in the electrolyte to pass through.
JSW Group is engaged in manufacturing equipment for this separator film and boasts a large share of the domestic and international market. We play a part in providing a stable supply of lithium-ion batteries in Japan and around the world.
Magnesium alloys are the lightest of all practical metals and have excellent rigidity and specific strength. Because of its "lightweight and strong" properties, it has been used in a wide range of situations to reduce weight, mainly in small parts, such as smartphones, home appliances, and medical devices.
Until now, magnesium alloy parts have generally been manufactured using the die casting method, but we have developed a magnesium injection molding machine that uses a thixotropic (semi-molten) injection molding method for precision molding under low energy and environmental load conditions, and have supplied it to the market.
And, what has long been desired by manufacturers was a "large magnesium injection molding machine" capable of molding and processing larger parts using magnesium alloy.
In response to this demand, JSW Group has succeeded in developing a "magnesium injection molding machine" capable of molding and processing larger parts than before. This will enable further utilization of magnesium alloys, such as in large parts for automobiles, and will contribute to weight reduction of car bodies. This is a technology unique to JSW Group that combines the steel and resin processing know-how we have cultivated up to now.
Since plastics derived from fossil fuels do not decompose in the natural environment, they cause marine pollution and soil contamination when disposed of in the natural environment. As the global movement away from plastics is gaining momentum, "biomass plastics" and "biodegradable plastics" are attracting attention.
Biomass plastic is a carbon-neutral material that uses carbon dioxide in the air, which is taken up by plants and other materials, as a carbon source. Biodegradable plastics are materials that have the same functions as conventional plastics, but are ultimately decomposed into water and carbon dioxide by the action of microorganisms in the environment. Therefore, even when disposed of in the environment, biodegradable plastics do not have a negative impact on the natural world. In addition, most biodegradable plastics are derived from biomass.
In addition to pellet manufacturing equipment, JSW Group also manufactures equipment for molding and processing biodegradable plastics and biomass plastics. Both of these materials require different manufacturing methods and molding processing conditions from those of conventional plastics, so they require manufacturing and processing technologies that are compatible with the materials.
With our unique technologies, we are contributing to the spread of biodegradable plastics and biomass plastics.
The weight of automobiles, airplanes, and other forms of mobility directly affects fuel efficiency. To reduce greenhouse gas emissions and improve energy use efficiency, "weight reduction" of car bodies and airframes is a major issue. New carbon-derived materials such as carbon fiber (CF) and carbon nanotubes (CNT) have been attracting attention in recent years as materials for weight reduction.
These are lightweight and highly rigid materials made from carbon, but they cannot maintain the shape of molded products on their own. Therefore, they can be used as lightweight and highly rigid materials by integrating them with base materials, mainly plastics, to form composite materials (e.g., fiber-reinforced plastics). Molding and processing these materials also require special technologies.
In order to further promote the use of materials such as CF and CNT, for which demand is increasing, JSW Group supplies manufacturing equipment for these materials as well as molding and processing equipment that integrates the materials with plastics to create fiber-reinforced plastic molded products. We are working to promote the use of new materials by providing support for manufacturing sites.
Power semiconductors, which handle high voltages and large currents, are used for power control in a wide range of fields, including EVs, industrial equipment, and 5G base stations. As energy conservation advances in the industrial world, power semiconductors are also required to reduce power consumption.
Gallium nitride (GaN) is attracting attention as a new semiconductor material. Compared to silicon (Si), a conventional semiconductor material, GaN is expected to reduce power consumption, reduce size, and increase efficiency.
JSW Group is developing a production technology for high-quality gallium nitride by applying the technology for producing synthetic quartz crystals at high temperatures and high pressures. The cost of producing high-quality crystals is still high, and this is an area where future development is expected.
By working to ensure that materials and products that are expected to be utilized in the future can be produced and processed more efficiently and with higher quality, JSW Group is working to promote a carbon-neutral society.
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