Tomonaga Okabe（Professor, Graduate School of Engineering, Tohoku University / Director, Research Center for Green X-tech, Tohoku University）

　This research area focuses on the sustainability of materials and substances among the global environmental and resource issues and aims to create innovative basic technologies by integrating materials development research and recycling process research, as well as to establish the scientific basis for such technologies. 　Specifically, they are as follows.
　In material development research, we explore the use of less resource-constrained materials or recycled materials that can be reused in the future. We seek to establish design guidelines for recyclable materials that balance the need for functionality at the time of use and recycling at the end of life. For instance, we are expecting to develop technologies to create desired new materials and products from used materials and products without going through the separation and recovery process, or within the separation and recovery process.
　In recycling process research, we are aiming to establish technologies that enable a large and stable supply of recycled materials that satisfy the performance and functions required for material creation, as well as selective and efficient separation and recovery technologies that can address the requirements (price, safety, etc.) necessary for material production in terms of social acceptance.
　As many materials currently on the market are composite or complex to provide their functions, we also expect to see efforts to develop technologies to evaluate, measure and analyze control factors such as their internal structures and interfaces from multiple viewpoints to facilitate their recycling. By coupling the above two researches, we will encourage research aimed at the establishment of a resource recycling system.
　It is also important to systematize these findings as new scientific principles. This will contribute to the realization of a sustainable society. Therefore, we want to communicate the new scientific principles developed in this research area worldwide and expect fundamental and academic research results that can be published in prestigious journals.