Toyota Central Research and Development Laboratories

Toyota Central Research and Development Laboratories Inc., Nagakute-cho, Aichi-gun, Aichi-ken, 480-11 Japan... 

Acknowledgements I would like to thank Professor M. Doi of Nagoya University for stimulating discussions. I am also very grateful to Y. Hirose and Dr. T. Kurauchi of Toyota Central Research and Development Laboratories, who helped me to fabricate biomimetic actuators. 

Takeaki Taniguchi Mitsubishi Research Institute, Tokyo, Japan Kenta UcHiBE Department of Systems Biomedicine, National Research Institute for Child Health and Development, Tokyo, Japan Osamu Watanabe Toyota Central Research and Development Laboratories, Inc., Naprakute, Aichi, Japan... 

Matsumoto, S., N. Miyoshi, M. Kimura, M. Ozawa and A. Isogai, 1988, Inventors, Toyota Motor Corp. Toyota Central Research and Development Laboratories, Japan. German Patent DE 3737419, issued May 19, 1988 (patent applied for November 4, 1987). 

The nanocomposite concept appears to have its origin in pioneering research conducted in Japan by Unitika, Ltd. in the 1970s [1] and separatdy by Toyota Central Research and Development Laboratories in the late 1980s [2]. The theory was that if nanodays could be fully dispersed or exfohated to high aspect ratio platelets into polymers at relatively low levels (2-5 wt%), a number of mechanical and barrier properties would be enhanced. The original work at both Unitika and Toyota CRDL... 

Arai, T. Oikawa, H. Toyota Central Research and Development Laboratories (Japan. Kokai Tokkyo Koho 63-147882 [1988] from C.A. 110 [1989] No. 12408). 

The new class of polymer materials, organic- inorganic (clay) nanocomposites, was also reported as an excellent FR composition [234]. Nylon-6 clay nanocomposites, first developed by Toyota Central Research and Development Laboratories, are materials with unique properties. The nylon- 6 clay nanocomposites (clay mass fraction from 2%-70%) are synthesized by ring - opening polymerization of e-caprolactam in the presence of cation exchanged montmorillonite clay [235]. 

Dr. Hideroh Takahashi Toyota Central Research and Development Laboratories Inc. 

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