Team Profile

Targeting the biopolyester and polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA) produced by organisms, we aim to develop advanced technologies for transforming substances into useful materials so that sufficient performance and functions for use as real materials can be obtained. Furthermore, we are committed to the creation of new bioplastic materials to follow PHA and the development of a chemicals recycling technology with the use of the technology to control the lifetime of bioplastic materials and degrading enzymes.

Team leader: Hideki Abe

Research Overview

Bioplastic Research Team aims to provide high-performance and specific functional bioplastic materials as environmental conscious polymeric materials. Particularly, paying attention to the biopolyesters produced by microorganisms, the advanced technology enable to bring out its potential and use as a practical plastic material has been developed. The R&D of new processing of high strength articles, regulation of crystalline and surface structure of polymer materials, and alloys and composite technology are strongly progressing. We also employ various biomass substances to create novel polymeric materials, followed with biopolyesters. We achieve to construct the methodology of molecular design for bioplastics to predict their properties and functions, and new technology of efficient and precise bioplastic synthesis. Furthermore, to establish the advanced recycling system of polymeric materials by using polymer-degrading enzymes, the structural analyses and molecular design of polymer-degrading enzymes have been conducted.