R&D
Background
On a global scale, the population keeps growing every year, and it has already surpassed seven billion, the limit of subsistence. As a consequence, it created a supply-demand imbalance for a variety of resources. In particular, oil resources are expected to run dry sooner or later, even if the development of a new oilfield succeeds. For this reason, solving energy resource problems is considered as one of the most critical issues. Meanwhile, shale gas grabbed the spotlight as a new energy resource, and the U.S. has already started commercial extraction since 2012. This suggests that at this moment, we are required to shift our energy sources from oil to gases. When transforming from oil to gas-based industry, the most important and challenging thing is to develop technologies and materials that enable the efficient and low-cost separation, storage, and transportation of gases.
Overview
At SyncMOF, we are working on the resolution of these issues with MOFs (Metal-Organic Frameworks) and PCPs (Porous Coordination Polymers). MOFs and PCPs are a new type of porous materials consisting of organic ligands coordinated to metal ions. The advantage of using these materials is that we can design the properties of the nanoscopic space inside the particles by changing the combination of the metal ions and organic ligands. In MOFs, the structure and nature of the pores can be designed depending on the size and chemical properties of the targeted gas molecules. It is also possible to synthesize dynamic MOFs whose structure change flexibly in response to a particular gas species like biological protein. At our customers’ requests, we not only synthesize MOFs but also assess their properties and develop implementation devices. SyncMOF is a startup that originated from Nagoya University. Our members are professionals with diversity in backgrounds and research fields. Each staff will take the job in the area of their expertise and complete the tasks with responsibility. The use of AI (Artificial Intelligence) and RPA (Robotic Process Automation) is crucial for the implementation of MOFs in society and the improvement of user-friendliness of the devices. We are contributing to the resolution of global issues by combining MOFs with these cutting-edge technologies and knowledge.
Management
Junichi Hataoka
CEO
After graduating from Waseda University, Junichi Hataoka was seconded from the Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST) to a Japanese measuring equipment manufacturer where he worked on the development of devices and evaluation criteria related to MOFs. With a desire to see the corporates from a different perspective, he changed his career into a consultant and experienced business solutions and improvements in various industry segments and businesses. In his personal life, he loves to fish and also works on corporate revival and supports entrepreneurs.
Akihiro Hori
CTO
While in Okayama University, he conducted researches on superconductivity at Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS) and obtained his Ph.D. After changing his field of specialization, being drawn to the potentials of porous materials, he worked on the elucidation of adsorption mechanisms in porous materials with X rays at Riken and Kyoto University. Currently, at Nagoya University, he worked on the creation of functional metal complexes and develops measurement devices for the evaluation of their properties. In his personal life, he enjoys driving and going on a camping trip.
