No. 335: Practical application of injection molding compounds made from paper (October 25, 2011)

Pulp Injection Consortium organized by ProfessorHidetoshi Yokoi of Institute of Industrial Science, the University of Tokyo, will address the practical application of paper-made auto parts and cases for precision apparatus. Participated by eight private companies, the research team has already built more than 10 kinds of products on trial, all of which are in the process of practical application. The pulp injection molding is the method to create a product by injecting and molding a material hardened by starch glue. Taiho Industrial has the basic patent of pulp injection molding.

The research team has built disposable ample cases for medical use and clamps for document files. Sekiso is working on a rust-preventive cover for the brake pad of a vehicle and parts of the defroster for windshield. The other promising fields include a packaging material of camera. The trial product of camera packaging can reduce carbon dioxide emission by about 50% of the emission by polystyrene foam and about 70% of the emission by cardboard. These products will possibly be put on the market in 2012. The consortium will continue the research to develop high value-added products.