Site: Mitsui Toatsu Chemicals, Inc.
2-5, Kasumigaseki 3-chome
Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 100
Japan

Date Visited: December 7, 1992

Report Author: D. Granville

ATTENDEES

JTEC:

J. DeVault
D. Granville
J. McDermott
D. Wilkins

HOSTS:

Mr. Moto Kawamata

Dr. Akihiro Tamaki

Mr. Sadayuki Esaki

Mr. Norifumi Ito

Mr. Masahiro Masutani

BACKGROUND

Mitsui Toatsu Chemicals is a privately owned company with 55.4% of their business in commodity products (plastics, fabricated plastics, industrial chemicals, and industrial fertilizers), 15.4% in fine chemicals (pharmaceutical, agrochemicals, and dyestuffs), and 22.3% in specialty products (urethanes, industrial resins, building materials, electronic materials, and performance polymers). The company started R&D work on advanced thermoplastic prepregs with hot melt impregnation in 1983. Twenty-five percent of the workforce is in R&D. The goal of the company is to expend 60% of the R&D budget in specialty chemicals and materials. They participate in joint R&D with other Pacific rim counties, and have collaborative programs with universities in the U.S. (MIT, Wisconsin, and Univ. of Washington), as well as with Fuji Heavy Industries and the Society of Japanese Aerospace Companies. Work for the High Speed Civil Transport (HSCT) program is with BASF and Boeing. Their program with Fuji Heavy Industries (FHI) for the National Aerospace Laboratory (NAL) is in molded PIX/T-800 pre-preg for fatigue testing; they also have another program for a fusion bonding system with FHI sponsored by SJAC.

RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT ACTIVITIES

Mitsui Toatsu Chemicals is developing catalysts for epoxy synthesis, aromatic polyimide special plastic lens monomers (refractive index 1.6), heat-sensitive coated papers, and amorphous silicon solar cells. They have developed PIX (TP Polyimide) CF pre-preg tape for automated composite materials (ACM), and will also make molding compounds for injection molding (388øC melting point and good moldability). At the time of the JTEC team's visit, they were in the process of developing PP, PS, AS, ABS, Barex 210 (acrylonitrile barrier resin), PES, PEEK processors, and urethanes; they were planning to develop compact discs by April 1993. They have developed TPI adhesive for fusion bonding at Mitsui and constructed panels for aircraft fuselages at Fuji, and have developed an improved interface GF/PP pre-preg with special surface treatments for low cost applications (well suited for automotive applications).

Professor Seferis of the University of Washington is working on PIX development.

SUMMARY

This is an excellent company structure for commodity plastics, engineering resins (TP & TS), and composites using primarily carbon and glass. They are backed by well-staffed analytical, characterization, and testing laboratories. The in-house analytical research department has an excellent modeling capability. Their customer base is broad (aerospace, industrial, construction, automotive, sporting goods, and marine). There are extensive international agreements of cooperation with U.S. companies and universities. Training and extensive cooperation is practiced with both their customers and partners.

REFERENCES

Mitsui Toatsu Chemicals, Incorporated. "Mitsui Toatsu Chemicals, Inc. Annual Report, April 1991-March 1992."

------. "Mitsui Toatsu Chemicals, Inc. Tokyo, Japan," as of March 1992.

------. "Research & Development - Mitsui Toatsu Chemicals, Inc."