Toyoda Gosei and Tohoku University launch joint materials R&D centre

Toyoda Gosei Co., Ltd. and Tohoku University have inaugurated a joint research facility dedicated to advancing next-generation rubber, plastics, and functional materials. The ‘Co-creation Research Centre for Functional Materials’ became operational on 1 July 2026 in Kiyosu, Japan, merging Toyoda Gosei’s polymer expertise with Tohoku University’s analytical and simulation resources. The collaboration aligns with Toyoda Gosei’s 2030 business strategy, which prioritises high-value-added products aimed at enhancing safety, comfort, and decarbonisation. Tohoku University will contribute its NanoTerasu synchrotron radiation facility, computational simulation tools, and data-science capabilities. Together, the partners aim to develop novel rubber, plastic, and other functional materials. The three-year initiative will also foster cross-disciplinary technical research, cultivate talent through joint R&D programmes, and serve as an industry collaboration hub. Leadership of the centre is shared between Shigeaki Kurokawa, deputy chief of Toyoda Gosei’s R&D headquarters, and Professor Tomonaga Okabe, director of Tohoku University’s Green X-Tech research centre.