Chemicals Research Laboratories

Established by combining the Plastics Research Laboratory and Specialty Chemicals Research Laboratory in 1999, the Chemicals Research Laboratories set to work as laboratories for creating a wide variety of chemical products, ranging from specialty chemicals to polymers. By exploiting polymer science, synthetic chemistry technology, catalyst technology, and nanotechnology, the laboratories conducts research on advanced materials in the fields of mobility and information and communications.

The Chemicals Research Laboratories acts as the foundation of Toray's R&D on chemical and basic polymer products. The laboratories is working in areas such as new polymer development, improved function, and high-level structure control, and actively using digital technology.

Next-generation mobility materials

The mobility field is undergoing great changes, and the materials used in the field need to have unprecedented new functions. At the Chemicals Research Laboratories, we are researching innovative materials with an eye toward next-generation mobility, in areas such as improving functionality of thermosetting polymers for CFRP and engineering plastics. We have recently participated in a national project, and successfully created new technologies and materials, such as flexible and toughened polymer with dramatically improved impact performance and fatigue resistance, and super flexible polyphenylene sulfide based on Toray's unique NANOALLOY™ nano-structure control technology. Furthermore, the laboratories is conducting research targeting key applications and techniques for next-generation mobility, such as innovative LiB materials for xEVs, hydrogen tank materials for FCVs, and microparticles for printing 3D parts.

Sustainable materials

The Chemicals Research Laboratories is engaged in research on degradable polymers and recycling technology, and tackling the challenges of solving social issues from a comprehensive environmental perspective that takes into account not only curbing CO2 emissions during product use, but also reducing environmental impact after use.

Innovative materials for automobiles and applications

NANOALLOY™

Precise control of polymers on the nano-order with our unique alloy technology

Flexible and Toughened Polymer

Flexible and Toughened polymer that absorbs stress when subjected to impact

Polyamide particles for 3D printers

Milestones in Toray R&D

1951 Established Synthetic Fiber Laboratory (later Specialty Chemicals Research Laboratory).
1959 Established Plastics Engineering Research Laboratory (later Plastics Research Laboratory).
1962 Commenced production of Caprolactam (Photo-Nitrosation of Cyclohexane method).
1975 Commenced production of PBT resin.
1997 Commenced production of SIVERAS™ liquid-crystal polyester resin.
1999 Established Chemicals Research Laboratories.
2001 Created NANOALLOY™.
2007 Developed shock absorbing polymer.
2016 Developed flexible and tough polymer.
2019 Developed PPS resin with world-class flexibility.
2020 Developed technology for true spherical polyamide particles.