東レリサーチセンター Company Profile

When we look around us, we see that various areas such as housing, home appliances, automobiles, miscellaneous goods, and sports equipment are overflowing with many plastic materials like synthetic fibers, films, bottles, and resin products. However, 100 years ago, the concept of modern polymer materials, specifically the idea of polymers (macromolecules) connected by covalent bonds, had not yet been established. Therefore, it can be said that in just under a century, numerous plastic materials with various characteristics have been developed and rapidly integrated into our lives. Due to the short history and the diversity of materials, there are various challenges encountered when handling plastic materials, but the role of analytical technicians in solving these issues is significant. Following the previous foundational edition, this second application edition will explain polymer multiphase materials (such as polymer alloys, compounds, and resin composites) and molding techniques, as well as environmental issues surrounding plastic materials, in order to enhance the practical value of plastic materials.

When we look around us, we see various areas such as housing, home appliances, automobiles, miscellaneous goods, and sports equipment filled with many plastic materials like synthetic fibers, films, bottles, and resin products. However, the concept of modern polymer materials, specifically the idea of polymers (macromolecules) connected by covalent bonds, was not established just 100 years ago. Therefore, it can be said that in less than a century, numerous plastic materials with various characteristics have been developed and rapidly integrated into our lives. Due to the short history and the diversity of materials, there are various challenges encountered when dealing with plastic materials, and the role of analytical technicians in solving these issues is significant. In this course, we will explain important and fundamental points over two sessions, focusing on the field of resin materials, not only for analytical technicians but also for engineers who create products using plastic materials and those who use plastic products to deepen their understanding. In the first session, which serves as a foundational overview, we will discuss the characteristics of representative plastic materials, including molecular structure and physical properties, characteristics and applications, and manufacturing methods, to aid in the understanding of plastic materials.

【Evaluation of the Mechanical Properties of Bulk Materials (Material Testing)】 The evaluation of the mechanical properties of materials aids in obtaining physical property values for design and simulation, as well as in elucidating material degradation phenomena. However, if accurate physical property values cannot be obtained, erroneous results may be derived. This course will explain the measurement methods for the mechanical properties of solid materials (static material tests such as tensile, bending, and compression) and introduce various measurement examples, as well as the digital image correlation method that has been utilized in the field of mechanical property evaluation in recent years. 【Evaluation of Mechanical Properties in Microregions (Nanoindentation)】 The nanoindentation method is a technique that improves the load and displacement resolution of conventional hardness tests and is widely used for evaluating the mechanical properties of thin films and specific fine regions. In recent years, advancements in technology have enabled nanoindentation measurements utilizing environmental control functions and AFM capabilities. This course will introduce the basic principles and measurement modes, along with examples of each measurement.