Materials Outlook

Materials Outlook for Energy and Environment

2008.06.01 Published


Contents

Crisis conditions are expected to occur around the middle of this century if environmental and energy problems continue to show the same trends as at present. The same is also true of mineral resources. In this respect, a fundamental reconsideration of most of the conventional materials science related in some way to the mineral resources is inevitably necessary. To overcome the present difficulties, we believe it’s absolutely necessary to build a new materials science without fettered by the fields of conventional materials science and other fields.
 
This is the mission of NIMS. We should find solutions to serious global-scale environmental problems as well as energy problems by rebuilding the materials science based on an interdisciplinary approach. 
Fortunately, Japan has accumulated a wealth of outstanding research and development in materials, which means the potential to create and disseminate a new materials science. It’s time for releasing materials science from the bonds of practical application, striving for a wide-ranging fusion of fields, and promoting the investigation of principles. Let us confront the problems of the environment and energy and aim together at a sustainable society based on the new materials science.
 
This volume presents an overview by NIMS researchers who are directly involved in research and development of the current status and future directions in materials technologies necessary to prevent global warming and secure energy resources from the viewpoint of materials science. Using common key items and/or keywords in each chapter classified by material fields, we attempted to introduce various materials. We hope that this will be a first step toward a new materials science.