Japan Material Technologies Corporation Concludes License Agreement with Sumitomo Chemical for Titanium Oxide-Based Negative Thermal Expansion Material Ti2O3

Japan Material Technologies Corporation (Headquarters: Chuo-ku, Tokyo; President and CEO: Okimasa Urata; hereinafter "JMTC") announced today that it has concluded a license agreement with Sumitomo Chemical Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Chuo-ku, Tokyo; President: Nobuaki Mito) regarding the titanium oxide-based negative thermal expansion material Ti2O3. Unlike general materials that expand as temperature rises, this material is a titanium oxide material that exhibits negative thermal expansion (shrinkage upon heating) of up to -50 ppm/K over a wide temperature range from room temperature to 300°C. By blending it with various materials, it is possible to suppress thermal expansion over a wide temperature range. Due to this characteristic, it is expected to be applied in a wide range of uses where thermal expansion is an issue, such as semiconductor encapsulants and adhesives. In addition, the negative thermal expansion effect has been confirmed even in sintered bodies, and it is expected to be utilized as a thermal expansion adjusting filler for low-melting glass for sealing, where an increase in the thermal expansion coefficient is a challenge. In industrial fields such as electronic components, thermal expansion accompanying heat generation is an issue for product reliability, but the options for materials that can control expansion are limited. In response, JMTC has been working on the industrialization of the negative thermal expansion material BNFO. However, while BNFO has a large negative thermal expansion coefficient, it has a relatively limited effective temperature range. Furthermore, BNFO has a characteristic in which its crystal structure changes during sintering, making it difficult for the negative thermal expansion characteristics to be fully expressed, which places certain restrictions on its application forms. On the other hand, although the new material is slightly inferior in terms of negative thermal expansion rate, it stably exhibits negative thermal expansion characteristics over a wide temperature range from room temperature to 300°C. Furthermore, since it can maintain negative thermal expansion characteristics even in sintered bodies, it is a material with a high degree of freedom in application forms. By combining both materials, it becomes possible to provide thermal expansion control solutions in a wide range of temperature ranges and various forms, which were previously difficult to address. In the future, we will establish mass production technology for this material, proceed with the development of new grades and the cultivation of applications according to customer needs, and aim to expand the industrial application of negative thermal expansion materials along with BNFO. JMTC has been working on the commercialization of innovative technologies developed by domestic companies, universities, research institutions, etc., through licensing out and carve-outs. We will continue to contribute to the creation of innovation in the Japanese materials industry by advancing the commercialization of unutilized innovative material technologies. Japan Material Technologies Corporation Inquiry Form: https://www.jmtc.co.jp/contact/ [Japan Material Technologies Corporation Overview] ■ Company Name: Japan Material Technologies Corporation ■ Established: August 2015 ■ Capital: 300 million yen *including capital reserve ■ Representative: President and CEO Okimasa Urata ■ Business Content: Functional materials business ■ Corporate Website: https://www.jmtc.co.jp