Kyoto University Professor Mikihito Takenaka recently took up the mantle of president at the Society of Rubber Science and Technology, Japan (SRIJ), an organization made up of rubber researchers and experts. Coming into the job with lofty aspirations, Takenaka plans to proactively carry out personnel exchange projects with overseas partners. The SRIJ has so far signed a memorandum of understanding...
Bridgestone Corp. (TYO:5108) has discovered a technique for monitoring and measuring strain-induced crystallization in natural and isoprene rubber at a record-high temporal resolution. The basic technology for this was developed using Spring-8, a large synchrotron radiation facility in western Japan. Natural rubber is less susceptible to cracking than typical isoprene rubber, with one suspected reason for this being the crystallization...
Bridgestone Corp. (TYO:5108) recently announced findings from research into high-strength material that would lead to resource-saving tires. The research was part of an R&D program within iMPACT (Importing Paradigm Change through Disruptive Technologies Program), a project for furthering innovations in R&D that is being led by the Japanese Cabinet Office’s Council for Science, Technology and Innovation. The R&D program is...
