Japan development

A.sahi Chemical EHD Processes. In the late 1960s, Asahi Chemical Industries in Japan developed an alternative electrolyte system for the electroreductive coupling of acrylonitrile. The catholyte in the Asahi divided cell process consisted of an emulsion of acrylonitrile and electrolysis products in a 10% aqueous solution of tetraethyl ammonium sulfate. The concentration of acrylonitrile in the aqueous phase for the original Monsanto process was 15—20 wt %, but the Asahi process uses only about 2 wt %. Asahi claims simpler separation and purification of the adiponitrile from the catholyte. A cation-exchange membrane is employed with dilute sulfuric acid in the anode compartment. The cathode is lead containing 6% antimony, and the anode is the same alloy but also contains 0.7% silver (45). The current efficiency is of 88—89%, with an adiponitrile selectivity of 91%. This process, started by Asahi in 1971, at Nobeoka City, Japan, is also operated by the RhcJ)ne Poulenc subsidiary, Rhodia, in Bra2il under Hcense from Asahi. 

The first use of lithium alloys as negative electrodes in commercial batteries to operate at ambient temperatures was the employment of Wood s metal alloys in lithium-conducting button-type cells by Matsushita in Japan. Development work on the use of these alloys started in 1983 [10], and they became commercially available somewhat later. 

Conversion of benzene to cyclohexene by partial catalytic hydrogenation is a very important industrial process, since it provides a new route to cyclohexanol, a precursor of nylon, when combined with hydration of cyclohexene. For example, Asahi Chemical Company of Japan developed a selective bilayer catalytic system including a Ru catalyst, Zr02 and ZnS04 under 50 atm of H2 pressure, a process affording the olefin with up to 60% selectivity after 90% conversion of benzene.72... 

CCG [Catalytic Coal Gasification] A generic name. All such processes require very cheap catalysts. Exxon Engineering Corporation developed such a process in the 1980s, which used a catalyst based on potassium carbonate. Tohoku University, Japan developed another process using iron salts deposited on coal. 

The real need is to import more varied foreign technologies, in a much cheaper and cost-conscious way. That is the way Japan developed in the 50s and 60s. The eventual big successes were Japanese modifications of rather unexpected foreign technologies that worked. 

Asahi Medical Co. (Japan) developed Sepacell-PL filter as a device for removing white blood cells from whole blood [119, 120], Sepacell-PL is a non-woven fabric (PE or PET), coated with a copolymer of HEMA with die-thylaminoethyl methacrylate (e.g. in 5 mole%). It is noticeable that platelets in the blood can pass through the filter without suffering any damage during the filtration processes, owing to the presence of the amino group. 

In this context, the Morinaga Milk Industry (Japan) developed and commercialized a very low fat spread using membrane emulsification technology [59, 60]. The advantages in the production of low-fat spreads made the process one of the first... 

The University of Kyoto, Japan, and Fuji in Tokyo, Japan, developed a pilot plant for the production of a yellow nano pigment with a capacity of 70t/a, which was also developed and operated by Kyoto University and Fuji Company (see Figure5.24) [59]. The particle size spectra show a clear impact of the flow conditions with smaller particles at higher flow rates. 

Monsanto and Ube (Japan) developed membrane processes for purification of hydrogen gas mixtures. This process is based on the selective diffusion of hydrogen through semi-permeable membranes in the form of hollow fibers. The Monsanto PRISM separator process (owned by Air Products as of 2004) uses a polysulfone fiber whereas Ube uses an aromatic polyimide fiber.46... 

T. Tsuruta Kagaku No Ryoiki OrganometaUic chemistry 4 Japan. Development of organo-... 

The story does not shy from the realpolitik of science either. At one point, the spy explains to his friend that unless Japan develops high temperature superconductors, the U.S. could put Japanese researchers out of the race by banning exports of liquid helium. 

Lion Corporation of Japan developed a continuous transesterification process using unrefined feedstock known as the ES process. The free fatty acid in the oil is pre-esterified by passing the feedstock and methanol through a packed column of a special catalyst resin, after which transesterification is conducted through a two-stage reactor. A high conversion rate of more than 99% is claimed (16). 

However, Okamoto s group in Japan developed a technology consisting of coat-... 

National Electric Company (Japan) developed an integrated biosensor based on an SOS-chip containing a K+ FET and two pH FETs covered with GOD and urease, respectively (Kimura et al. 1985). The enzymes were immobilized by crosslinking with glutaraldehyde as described by Miyahara et al. (1985). 

TAKEHARA, Z., Fuel Cells in Japan Development and Future Prospect, Hydrogen and Clean Energy (Int. Symp., Tokyo, 1995), NEDO (1995) 107-114. 

Okamura et al. (1978) Case report Japan Development of goitrous hypothyroidism and Hashimoto s thyroiditis after ingestion of large amounts of seaweed... 

Organic agriculture in Japan development of a labelling scheme and production policies... 

On a similar time scale. Metravib in France, IMASS in the USA (also the Rheovibron importer) and Iwamoto (Japan) developed larger engineers apparatus, each with its own... 

Showa Highpolymer (Japan) developed a wide range of polybutylene succinate (PBS) by polycondensation of 1,4-butanediol and succinic acid. Polybutylene succinate-co-adipate (PBSA), shown in Figure 9.4, is obtained by the addition of adipic acid. These copolymers are commercialized under the brand name Bionolle (Showa Denko K.K.). Industrial production of these polyesters from bio-based succinic acid was launched in 2012 by Showa Denko. Mitsubishi Chemical (Japan) produces and also commercializes partially bio-based PBS. 

The Ishikawajima-Harima Heavy Industries (IHI) company in Japan developed a salt-effect ED process for concentrating IPA from aqueous solution, using calcium chloride as the separating agent in place of the conventional benzene (Fig. 16.9). Isopropanol/ water exhibits an azeotrope at 69 mol% IPA under atmospheric pressure. 

The Teijin Company in Japan developed a fabric named Snper-Microft with high water repellency by emulating the strncture of a lotns leaf. Water rolls like mercnry from the lotus leaf, whose surface is microscopically rough and covered with a waxlike substance with low snrface tension. It was reported that Snper-Microft exhibits good water-repellent dnrability and a high wear resistance, and at the same time it possesses moisture permeability and waterproof characteristics. 

---