Fostering the Next Generation to Accelerate Technological Innovation so that Japan can Contribute to the World as a Titanium Manufacturing Powerhouse and Technological Superpower
Titanium, a metal of dreams
Titanium is a lightweight material with outstanding corrosion resistance that is also a virtually inexhaustible resource – truly, a dream metal. With the highest specific strength of any metal, it is unparalleled as a metallic structural material. Although steel is the most widely and commonly used metallic structural material today, the fact that it rusts quickly makes long-term maintenance to prevent rust indispensable. To prevent accidents caused by the corrosion of metallic structural materials, stainless steel has been widely adopted as a corrosion-resistant material for use in civil engineering, construction, and aerospace applications. Although nickel is often used as an alloying element in stainless steel, in addition to being a limited resource, its use also imposes significant environmental burdens in terms of mining and smelting. If materials like stainless steel are replaced with titanium and titanium becomes more widely used, it will support a safe and affluent life for all. As a material of the future, titanium will be indispensable for a highly sustainable society.
A Sought-After Technological Innovation
However, producing titanium metal from ore currently requires enormous amounts of energy, capital, and time; the technology to be able to do so efficiently has yet to be developed. It takes more than ten days and costs more than a million yen to produce a single ton of titanium. This is several times the cost of stainless steel, and it is for this reason that titanium is currently only used in specialized fields such as aviation and aerospace. The key to unlocking the more widespread use of titanium will be the development of innovative smelting technologies, which has been a persistent challenge for over more than two centuries since titanium’s discovery in 1791.
Cultivating Professional Talent as a Key to Popularizing Titanium
To accelerate innovation in the technologies used to manufacture titanium, a material with outstanding performance and which is virtually inexhaustible as a resource, we must endeavor to train as many young researchers and competent engineers as possible. It is of the utmost importance to cultivate talented professionals who will have the ability to devise new manufacturing methods based on flexible ideas, who will patiently devote extended periods of time to repeated trial and error, and who will support the future development of titanium research.
The fact of the matter is that the titanium smelting process means that a great deal of time and money is required to establish the minimum infrastructure necessary for research. Moreover, the high degree of experimental difficulty, the low success rate, and the dangers entailed by experiments involving reactions of activated metals at high temperatures of around 1000°C mean that research results might be seen to fall short in proportion to the time and effort expended. In the contemporary context, which demands that research produce immediate results, it may seem reckless to pursue the “dream and romance” of titanium. And yet, thanks to the depth and difficulty of the challenges involved, the development of titanium production technology represents a very interesting field of research, and young researchers who have been entranced by the possibilities that titanium offers have the potential to make significant progress.
Sponge Titanium Manufacturing Process
(Photo credit: Osaka Titanium Technologies Co., Ltd.)
The Romance of Titanium Research
For the younger generation of scholars to continue to engage in titanium research over the longer term, the confidence and motivation gained through promoting research with new ideas and visions are essential. These new ideas are generated through diverse interactions and experiences. This fund aims to broaden the perspectives of researchers and engineers, to advance titanium research, and to dramatically develop the titanium industry by providing a stable, high-quality research environment that includes hosting symposiums and sending students and young researchers to pursue training opportunities overseas. Additionally, we aim to further increase Japan's share of the global titanium production so that it will continue to continue to contribute to the world as a titanium manufacturing powerhouse and technological superpower.
These activities require significant financial outlays, and at present, the available funding is perennially in short supply. We appreciate the understanding and cooperation of those of you who share our vision for the future of titanium and would like to ask for your generous contribution.
How Your Donation Will Be Used
A century ago, aluminum was a scarce and extremely expensive rare metal. Nevertheless, thanks to the development of innovative smelting technology, it has been transformed into a common metal that is now an indispensable metallic material found throughout our daily lives. The Fund will be used to support all kinds of activities aimed at transforming titanium from a rare metal to a commonplace material in this way.
Specifically, the Fund will be used to carry out the following activities:
・Promotion of multifaceted teaching and research on titanium
・Cultivating talented professionals who will take up the challenge of innovating in the area of titanium manufacturing technology, inspired by the dream and romance of titanium’s potential
・Fostering diverse and talented professionals to promote the popularization of titanium
・Other activities to make the most of titanium’s potential in the future
→ Examples: Holding symposiums, sending students and young researchers overseas, awareness-raising and educational activities
Scenes from the annual Workshop on Reactive Metal Processing (RMW) at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), USA
At present, there is a worldwide shortage of researchers conducting research on titanium, especially among young people who are willing to take up the challenge of trying to innovate in the area of titanium manufacturing technology. With this fund, our aim is to further titanium research and achieve dramatic development in the titanium industry by holding events such as symposiums on titanium-related topics and conducting other activities over the longer term, including sending students and young researchers to pursue opportunities overseas.
The above activities, as well as spreading information and raising awareness about the importance and potential of titanium on the part of the public at large, will require significant financial outlays, which at present are perennially in short supply. To those who love titanium and who feel a sympathy with this metal’s future potential, we appreciate your understanding and cooperation and would like to ask for your generous support.
Okabe Lab Website
Project Leader
Toru Okabe
Professor, Institute of Industrial Science,
The University of Tokyo
