Materials Open Platform for All Solid-State Battery to Begin Full-Scale Operation

­The National Institute for Materials Science (NIMS) and 10 private companies have announced that their Materials Open Platform (MOP) for All Solid-State Battery will begin full-scale operation in FY2022. The participating companies are DENSO CORPORATION, JFE Steel Corporation, JX Nippon Mining & Metals Corporation, Mitsubishi Chemical Corporation, Mitsui Mining & Smelting Co., Ltd., Murata Manufacturing Co., Ltd., NGK SPARK PLUG CO., LTD., Ltd., SUMITOMO CHEMICAL Co., Ltd., TAIYO YUDEN CO., LTD. and TOYOTA MOTOR CORPORATION. This MOP is a nationwide collaborative framework established to increase Japan’s competitiveness in developing All Solid-State batteries with oxide electrolytes—promising next-generation rechargeable batteries—in response to intensifying international competition in this area.

The All Solid-State Battery MOP was launched on May 1, 2020. Its activities for the last two years were limited due to severely restricted human movement caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. During this period, NIMS managed to lead efforts to move the MOP forward through such activities as developing the research environment and holding online workshops on All Solid-State batteries. The MOP in its third year is now ready to engage in full-scale, face-to-face joint research to develop techniques indispensable to the development of All Solid-State batteries (i.e., those needed to analyze interfaces within batteries and efficiently search for new solid electrolyte materials) in accordance with the common goals set by the member companies. This MOP collaboration is expected to make these developments more cost- and time-efficient than would be possible for individual companies working independently. Member companies will be able to take advantage of the know-how developed by NIMS, its diverse array of lab equipment and opportunities to share information with other members. This collaboration aims to develop a common technological base and is also expected to accelerate the member companies’ individual R&D efforts, giving Japan’s manufacturing sector a competitive advantage in the global battery market. Finally, the MOP intends to develop energy-efficient, environmentally sustainable technologies.

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