The TANAKA Memorial Foundation’s Representative Director, Hideya Okamoto, announced the recipients of the FY2022 Precious Metals Research Grants.
Following a rigorous screening process, the Gold Awards, each for 2 million yen, were presented to Associate Professor Masashi Kaneko of Osaka University and Professor Seiji Miura of Hokkaido University. In addition, four research projects received Silver Awards, and four Young Researcher Awards were presented.
The TANAKA Memorial Foundation undertakes programs designed to foster developments in new precious metal fields while contributing to the advancement of science, technology, and socio-economics for the overall enrichment of society. The research grant program was launched in FY1999 and has continued each year since with the goal of supporting the various challenges of the “new world opened up by precious metals.” This year, the program’s 24th year, a total of 159 applications were received in a wide range of fields where precious metals can make contributions to the research and development of new technologies. A total of 16.2 million yen in research grants was awarded for 24 projects.
The names of the two Gold Award recipients, their research, and the reasons for their selection are below.
– Associate Professor Masashi Kaneko of Osaka University
Modeling of precious metal extraction and separation using Moessbauer spectroscopy parameters and computational chemistry
This research seeks to develop a computational method for predicting the solvent extraction equilibrium of precious metals. The research was highly rated for its development of a computational chemistry model for precious metal solvent extraction reactions according to chemical equilibrium theory, and based on computational chemistry benchmarking of precious metal complexes using Mossbauer spectroscopy parameters. The research has the potential of accelerating the development of new precious metal extraction agents in combination with experimental chemistry, while it also has scientific and industrial value as well.
– Professor Seiji Miura of Hokkaido University
Experiments to achieve microstructure control of precious metal-based high-entropy alloys
This research seeks to develop innovative metal materials aimed at creating strengthening mechanisms with high thermal stability through the use of microstructure control of precious metal-based high-entropy alloys using two-phase crystal structures and their orientation relationship. The research was highly rated for its research related to high-entropy alloys, which are being more actively researched and are gaining attention for their unique material properties. The research has the potential of opening up new material fields for precious metals and expanding their industrial usage.
Four Silver Awards, four Young Researcher Awards, and 12 Encouragement Awards were also granted. The recipients and an overview of the Precious Metals Research Grants are indicated below. Applications for the FY2023 research granted are scheduled to open in the fall.
List of FY2022 Precious Metals Research Grants Recipients
– Platinum Award (0 award, 5 million yen) Non granted
– Gold Award (2 awards, 2 million yen each)
Masashi Kaneko, Associate Professor, Osaka University Modeling of precious metal extraction and separation using Moessbauer spectroscopy parameters and computational chemistry
Seiji Miura, Professor, Hokkaido University Experiments to achieve microstructure control of precious metal-based high-entropy alloys
– Silver Awards (4 awards, 1 million yen each)
Takatoshi Nagano, Lecturer, Ibaraki University Efforts to clarify mechanisms that cause cracking in thin ruthenium film and to achieve low electrical resistance
Naoji Matsuhisa, Associate Professor, The University of Tokyo Structural control and wearable applications of stretchable gold vapor deposition film
Zhou Weiwei, Assistant Professor, Tohoku University Manufacturing and functional enhancement of 2D Mxene-reinforced silver-based composite materials
Hiroshi Yukawa, Designated professor, Nagoya University Realization of deep tissue temperature imaging through development of band edge / defect-type near-infrared fluorescent quantum dots with silver in the core region
– Young Researcher Awards (4 awards, 1 million yen each)
Minori Goto, Assistant Professor, Osaka University Improved efficiency of heat-driven spin devices using thermal resistance of precious metal / insulator interfaces
Hideki Narita, Specially Appointed Assistant Professor, Kyoto University Control of magnetic superconductors using precious metals and development of nonvolatile superconducting devices
Wan-ting CHIU, Assistant Professor, Tokyo Institute of Technology Effects on mechanical properties and functionality of medical-use titanium-gold-based shape-memory alloys through addition of transition metal elements
Lustikova Jana, Assistant Professor, Tohoku University Formation of magnetic memory devices using precious metal / superconductor hetero-interfaces
– Encouragement Award (14 awards, 300,000 yen each)
Naotsugu Itoh, Specially-appointed Professor, Utsunomiya University Takahiro Namazu, Professor, Kyoto University of Advanced Science Teppei Araki, Associate Professor, Osaka University Makoto Hasegawa, Professor, Chitose Institute of Science and Technology Yuki Noda, Specially-appointed Assistant Professor, Osaka University Yuki Shiomi, Associate Professor, The University of Tokyo Takuya Matsumoto, Assistant professor, Osaka Metropolitan University Shinya Kato, Assistant Professor, Nagoya Institute of Technology Daisuke Tanaka, Professor, Kwansei Gakuin University Kure Shochiku (SONG-ZHU CHU), Professor, Nagoya Institute of Technology Atsushi Takagaki, Associate Professor, Kyushu University Yusuke Yamauchi, Group Leader, National Institute for Materials Science Yasuhiro Fukuma, Professor, Kyushu Institute of Technology Koki Kubota, Researcher, University of Yamanashi (Affiliated organizations and job titles correct as of time of presentation)
Overview of the 2022 Precious Metals Research Grants
Theme: – Themes that involve any of the following: new technologies to which precious metals can make a contribution, research related to precious metals that will bring innovative evolution to products, or research and development of new products using precious metals
Grant Amounts: – Platinum Award: 5 million yen (1 award) – Gold Award: 2 million yen (1 award) – Silver Awards: 1 million yen (4 awards) – Young Researcher Awards: 1 million yen (2 awards) – Encouragement Award: 300,000 yen (several awards) * The grant amount is treated as a scholarship donation. * Awards may not be granted in some cases. * The number of awards is subject to change.
Eligible Candidates: – Personnel who belong to (or work for) educational institutions in Japan (universities, graduate schools, or technical colleges) or public and related research institutions may participate. * As long as the applicant is affiliated with a research institution in Japan, the base of activity can be in Japan or overseas. * The Young Researcher Awards are for researchers under the age of 37 as of April 1, 2022.
Application Period: – 9am, September 1, 2022 (Thu) – 5pm, November 30, 2022 (Wed)
Application Method: – Enter the required information on the application form available on the TANAKA Memorial Foundation website (https://tanaka-foundation.or.jp) and upload details of the research (papers and supplementary material on the theme).
Announcement: – Results will be announced on the TANAKA Memorial Foundation website around the end of March 2023. * TANAKA will contact the award recipients directly.
Conditions: Research content that falls under any of the following – New technology related to precious metals – Research and development related to precious metals that bring about innovative evolution in products – Research and development of new products using precious metals * Precious metal refers to eight elements of platinum, gold, silver, palladium, rhodium, iridium, ruthenium and osmium. * If development is conducted jointly (or planned to be) with other material manufacturers, please indicate so. * Products that have already been commercialized, put to practical use, or that are planned are not eligible.
Inquiries Concerning the Research Grant Program: Precious Metals Research Grants Office Global Marketing / R&D Supervisory Department, TANAKA Kikinzoku Kogyo K.K. 22F Tokyo Building, 2-7-3 Marunouchi, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 100-6422 E-mail: joseikin@ml.tanaka.co.jp TANAKA Memorial Foundation website: https://tanaka-foundation.or.jp
Press release in PDF: https://www.acnnewswire.com/docs/files/2023331_EN.pdf
TANAKA Memorial Foundation Established: April 1, 2015 Address: 22F Tokyo Building, 2-7-3 Marunouchi, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo Representative: Hideya Okamoto Purpose of Business: To provide grants for research related to precious metals to contribute to the development and cultivation of new fields for precious metals, and to the development of science, technology, and the social economy. Areas of Business: – Provision of grants for scientific and technological research related to precious metals. – Recognition of excellent analysis of precious metals and holding of seminars and other events.
TANAKA Kikinzoku Kogyo K.K. Headquarters: 22F, Tokyo Building, 2-7-3 Marunouchi, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo Representative: Koichiro Tanaka, Representative Director & CEO Founded: 1885 Incorporated: 1918 Capital: 500 million yen Employees: 2,429 (including overseas subsidiaries) (as of March 31, 2022) Sales: 389,646.82 million yen* (FY2021) Main businesses: Manufacture, sales, import and export of precious metals (platinum, gold, silver, and others) and various types of industrial precious metals products. URL: https://tanaka-preciousmetals.com * Starting from this fiscal year, due to the application of accounting standards related to recognition of revenues, the sales figure includes some transactions displayed as net amounts.
The TANAKA Memorial Foundation’s Representative Director, Hideya Okamoto, announced the recipients of the FY2021 Precious Metals Research Grants.
Following a rigorous screening process, the Gold Awards, each for 2 million yen, were presented to Junior Associate Professor Hiroaki Kubota of Tokai University and Associate Professor Fumihiro Inoue of YOKOHAMA National University. In addition, five research projects received Silver Awards, and four Young Researcher Awards were presented.
The TANAKA Memorial Foundation undertakes programs designed to foster developments in new precious metal fields while contributing to the advancement of science, technology, and socio-economics for the overall enrichment of society. The research grant program was launched in FY1999 and has continued each year since with the goal of supporting the various challenges of the “new world opened up by precious metals.” This year, the program’s 23rd year, a total of 137 applications were received in a wide range of fields where precious metals can make contributions to the research and development of new technologies. A total of 16.6 million yen in research grants was awarded for 23 projects.
The names of the two Gold Award recipients, their research, and the reasons for their selection are below.
– Junior Associate Professor Hiroaki Kubota, Tokai University Enhancing development of model-based design and production technologies for electronic parts containing precious metals This research seeks to develop model-based design and effectiveness evaluation using numerical analysis methods – represented by methods such as the finite element method – to minimize cost and takt time related to product design, prototyping, and process design. This research was highly rated for its study of model construction and developmental process efficiency using Ag-Cu alloys, which has the potential of helping the development of processing technologies and improvement of performance for precious metal spring contacts and other products.
– Associate Professor Fumihiro Inoue, YOKOHAMA National University Formation of backside power delivery network using precious metal wires This research seeks to develop technology for the development of metal wire formation, which is an element technology for three-dimensional mounting that is gaining attention as an integration technology for advanced logic devices. This research, which is related to the formation of precious metal wires as new materials that fulfill the conditions of metal wires, was highly rated for being research and development that can significantly contribute toward the practical application of this technology.
Five Silver Awards, four Young Researcher Awards, and 12 Encouragement Awards were also granted. The recipients and an overview of the Precious Metals Research Grants are indicated below. Applications for the FY2022 research granted are scheduled to open in the fall.
List of FY2021 Precious Metals Research Grants Recipients
– Platinum Award (0 award, 5 million yen) Non granted
– Gold Award (2 awards, 2 million yen each)
Hiroaki Kubota, Junior Associate Professor, Tokai University Enhancing development of model-based design and production technologies for electronic parts containing precious metals
Fumihiro Inoue, Associate Professor, YOKOHAMA National University Formation of backside power delivery network using precious metal wires
– Silver Awards (5 awards, 1 million yen each)
Shoso Singubara, Professor, Kansai University Formation of electroless ruthenium plating film and lowering its resistance
Yuichi Manaka, Researcher, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology Value conversion of NOx using precious metal catalyst
Yoko Yamabe-Mitarai, Professor, The University of Tokyo Platinum group metal-based high entropy super heat-resistant material
Takuya Nakashima, Associate Professor, Nara Institute of Science and Technology Creation of light-emitting materials based on precious metal clusters
Akitsu Shigetou, Principal Researcher, National Institute for Materials Science Hybrid bonding of corrosion-resistant precious metals and organic materials at low temperature under atmospheric pressure
– Young Researcher Awards (4 awards, 1 million yen each)
Kosuke Ueki, Assistant Professor, KINDAI University Development of Co-Cr-W-X alloy for next-generation stents that balances mechanical properties, corrosion resistance, biocompatibility, and X-ray visibility
Shinya Masuda, Project Research Associate, The University of Tokyo Selective synthesis of gold cluster catalyst with high carrying rate of atomically precise size and composition
Taichi Goto, Assistant Professor, Toyohashi University of Technology Development of high-frequency spin wave device using precious metals
Asuka Inada, Assistant Professor, University of Miyazaki Development of innovative metal-organic framework formed using peptides and precious metals and its application in hydrogen storage medium
– Encouragement Award (12 awards, 300,000 yen each) Chen Chuantong, Associate Professor, Osaka University Minamiki Tsukuru, Research Scientist, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology Hiyori Uehara, Assistant Professor, National Institutes of Natural Sciences Shinjiro Takano, Research Associate, The University of Tokyo Shoko Fujii, Medical Doctor, Tokyo Medical and Dental University Hiroyoshi Ohtsu, Assistant Professor, Tokyo Institute of Technology Sun Jian, Special researcher, Tokyo Institute of Technology Masakazu Matsubara, Associate Professor, Tohoku University Katsunori Yogo, Assistant Professor, Nagoya University Kaneyoshi Yamamoto, Professor, Hosei University Haruyuki Ishii, Associate Professor, Yamaguchi University Yoshiaki Nishijima, Associate Professor, YOKOHAMA National University
Overview of the 2021 Precious Metals Research Grants
Conditions: Research content that falls under any of the following – New technology related to precious metals – Research and development related to precious metals that bring about innovative evolution in products – Research and development of new products using precious metals * Precious metal refers to eight elements of platinum, gold, silver, palladium, rhodium, iridium, ruthenium and osmium. * If development is conducted jointly (or planned to be) with other material manufacturers, please indicate so. * Products that have already been commercialized, put to practical use, or that are planned are not eligible.
Grant Amounts: – Platinum Award: 5 million yen (1 award) – Gold Award: 2 million yen (1 award) – Silver Awards: 1 million yen (4 awards) – Young Researcher Awards: 1 million yen (2 awards) – Encouragement Award: 300,000 yen (several awards) * The grant amount is treated as a scholarship donation. * Awards may not be granted in some cases. * The number of awards is subject to change.
Eligible Candidates: – Personnel who belong to (or work for) educational institutions in Japan (universities, graduate schools, or technical colleges) or public and related research institutions may participate. * As long as the applicant is affiliated with a research institution in Japan, the base of activity can be in Japan or overseas. * The Young Researcher Awards are for researchers under the age of 37 as of April 1, 2021.
Application Period: – 9am, September 1, 2021 (Wed) – 5pm, November 30, 2021 (Tue)
Inquiries Concerning the Research Grant Program: Precious Metals Research Grants Office Marketing Department, TANAKA Kikinzoku Kogyo K.K. 22F Tokyo Building, 2-7-3 Marunouchi, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 100-6422 TEL: 03-6311-5596 FAX: 03-6311-5529 E-mail: joseikin@ml.tanaka.co.jp TANAKA Memorial Foundation website: http://tanaka-foundation.or.jp
Press release in PDF: https://www.acnnewswire.com/docs/files/20220331_EN.pdf
TANAKA Memorial Foundation Established: April 1, 2015 Address: 22F Tokyo Building, 2-7-3 Marunouchi, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo Representative: Hideya Okamoto Purpose of Business: To provide grants for research related to precious metals to contribute to the development and cultivation of new fields for precious metals, and to the development of science, technology, and the social economy. Areas of Business: – Provision of grants for scientific and technological research related to precious metals. – Recognition of excellent analysis of precious metals and holding of seminars and other events.
TANAKA Kikinzoku Kogyo K.K. Headquarters: 22F, Tokyo Building, 2-7-3 Marunouchi, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo Representative: Koichiro Tanaka, Representative Director & CEO Founded: 1885 Incorporated: 1918 Capital: 500 million yen Employees: 2,453 (as of March 31, 2021) Sales: JPY 1,251,066,897,000 (FY2020) Main businesses: Manufacture, sales, import and export of precious metals (platinum, gold, silver, and others) and various types of industrial precious metals products. URL: https://tanaka-preciousmetals.com
Stonses, a Dubai-based startup, has launched a blockchain-powered platform which allows for preserving the memories of our loved ones in a digital format. Stonses’ platform, which enables users to create unique digital identities with real-world objects, is built on a blockchain-powered asset management and NFT platform from UAE-based Verofax.
Wassim Merheby, CEO of Verofax, and Miha Balek, CEO of Stonses, together in Dubai. [Photo: Verofax]
In today’s digital era, our memories of people exist in the physical as well as the digital world. However, these memories may be scattered across devices or locations, some lost and others discarded, while the memories are also lost. Stonses aims to bring a permanence to those memories, through digital replicas of real-world objects linked to NFTs created by family friends and colleagues.
To make this happen, Stonses’ platform leverages NFT technology with QR codes as physical interactions, which the user can attach to any object that reminds them of their loved ones. A digital replica of the object is then built, and a unique identity is assigned to the object. This data is loaded onto an immutable blockchain, which enables the user to preserve the object and its associated memories forever, with control of the data to decide what is made public and what remains private, defining who has the right to create memories and who has only read access. By scanning the QR tag that connects the object to its digital replica, the user can instantly bring it, and the memories associated with that object, back to life. Thus, the QR tag serves as the bridge between a person’s memories and objects associated with them, and sharing with the public, amongst close family or a friends network securely, with Blockchain.
Stonses CEO Miha Balek says “The gift industry will reach $43.3 bn by 2027; objects are increasingly associated with people who own, use or gift them. Digital and physical objects create digital tokens, backed by Blockchain technology. Our memorial platform is the first to help preserve and exchange personal belongings across generations with technology, treasured assets to be transferred with ownership based on smart contracts.”
Wassim Merheby, CEO of Verofax, adds “When an object is replicated or digitally combined with certified content, its replica is called a digital twin or non-fungible Token. The first NFT project launched in 2015 on the Ethereum blockchain, but today assets and belongings can be tokenized digitally by making use of blockchain technology, which helps establish ownership and identity and seamless conditional transfer among user wallets.
While our blockchain-based asset management shoulders the Stonses memorial platform, it is also leveraged for other use-cases across industries. Retailers are using Verofax’ solution to render digital identities to their products along with information around origin, composition, and environmental sustainability. Verofax is a Microsoft co-selling gold partner whose solutions are also published to the Azure AppSource marketplace.
The ability to interface stakeholders securely and enable easy asset transfer and content access opens up new possibilities for organizations like Stonses, which is leveraging the direct-to-consumer interface to consolidate memories and assets of significance value. Stonses business model adds value to our personal lives, value that goes beyond the realm of monetary measures and efficiencies to that of meaningfulness.”
Please visit Stonses at www.stonses.com, or email info@stonses.com for details. Visit Verofax at www.verofax.com for technical matters, or email info@verofax.com.
About Stonses We are the first and only memorial platform for the global market. The future is fast approaching, and a new era of digital innovation and disruption is here. At GITEX, we presented the most innovative digital identity solution of the year, soon introduced: The Stonses Revolution officially launches at Burj Khalifa, Dubai on December 21.
About Verofax Verofax is a blockchain-enabled Asset Digitization and Traceability solution provider, with presence across North America, Europe, Asia and MEA. The Verofax solution is available across multiple cloud environments, helping businesses transform physical into digitally-enabled products, and engaging meaningful interactions with customized user interfaces.
As a part of Swarnim Vijay Varsh celebrations, the Indian Air Force (IAF) organized an all women joint Service Cycling expedition from War Memorial, Longewala to National War Memorial, New Delhi. The expedition was flagged off on 25 Sep 21 by Air Vice Marshal Rohit Mahajan VM, Senior Officer-in-Charge Administration (SOA), HQ SWAC.
In a span of 12 days the team covered a distance of 1009 km. The members of the team interacted with college students and school children enroute motivation them to join the armed forces. The team also interacted with villagers during these twelve days and spread awareness amongst them about women empowerment.
The team was received by Director General (Administration) Air Marshal K Anantharaman VSM at National War Memorial, New Delhi where they paid tribute to the fallen heroes. The team was later flagged in at Air Force Station, New Delhi by Air Officer-in-Charge Administration Air Marshal VPS Rana VSM. He congratulated the team for their determination and dedicated efforts ensuring completion of the expedition in stipulated time.
