Tanaka Kikinzoku Memorial Foundation Announces Winners of "Research Grants for Precious Metals"
The Tanaka Kikinzoku Memorial Foundation has announced the winners of its fiscal 2025 "Research Grants for Precious Metals." The top award was given to Professor Iwasaki of Kyushu University and Professor Fujie of Tokyo University of Science, supporting the advancement of cutting-edge research using precious metals.
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The Tanaka Kikinzoku Memorial Foundation (Representative Director: Hideya Okamoto) today announced the winners of its fiscal 2025 "Research Grants for Precious Metals."
As a result of a rigorous review process, this year's "Ichiro Tanaka Award" has been awarded to Professor Takanori Iwasaki (Kyushu University) and Professor Toshinori Fujie (Tokyo University of Science). Both will receive a research grant of 3 million yen. Additionally, 4 projects were selected for the "Innovative Precious Metals Award" and 5 for the "KIRAMEKI Award."
The Tanaka Kikinzoku Memorial Foundation develops activities that allow many people to feel a sense of a prosperous society, with the aim of pioneering and fostering new fields for precious metals and contributing to academic, technological, and socioeconomic development. This grant system has been implemented annually since fiscal 1999 to support various challenges toward a "new world pioneered by precious metals." Under the catchphrase "Creating a better tomorrow than today with inspiration and sparkle," the foundation solicited research and development themes that contribute to creating a "better future" through the creativity of researchers and the potential of precious metals. This 27th call for proposals received a total of 244 applications, from which a total of 27 research projects will be awarded research grants totaling 19.8 million yen.
The winners of the "Ichiro Tanaka Award," their research topics, and the reasons for their selection are as follows.
**■ Ichiro Tanaka Award**
**Professor Takanori Iwasaki, Kyushu University**
**"Chemical Recycling of Hard-to-Decompose Polymer Materials Using Hydrogen Transfer"**
This research focuses on the decomposition reaction of polyurethane using a unique precious metal complex catalyst. It has been demonstrated that polyurethane can be decomposed by hydrogen gas. The development of a chemical recycling method for polyurethane, used in cushioning materials such as car seats and mattresses, is indispensable for promoting the reuse of waste plastics, and was highly evaluated as R&D that will greatly contribute to the realization of an environmentally friendly society.
**■ Ichiro Tanaka Award**
**Professor Toshinori Fujie, Tokyo University of Science**
**"Development of Biodegradable Nanosheet Electrodes with Inkjet-Printed Gold Wiring and its Application to Plant Health Management Systems"**
In this research, arrayed gold electrodes are formed on a polymer ultra-thin film substrate to measure changes in the surface potential of plant leaves in real time. By considering materials with low impact on living organisms, it is expected that raw data from plants can be obtained. The research was also highly evaluated for the potential of the captured biological surface potential changes to represent various conditions not only in plants but also in animals.
In addition, 4 projects for the "Innovative Precious Metals Award," 16 for the "HIRAMEKI Award," and 5 for the "KIRAMEKI Award," as well as the overview of this grant program, are as follows. The call for proposals for the fiscal 2026 research grants is scheduled to begin this fall.
**— Fiscal 2025 "Research Grants for Precious Metals" Application Overview —**
**【Application Conditions】**
The research/development must be new, use or be applicable to precious metals, contribute to building a sustainable future, and fall under one of the following categories.
As a result of a rigorous review process, this year's "Ichiro Tanaka Award" has been awarded to Professor Takanori Iwasaki (Kyushu University) and Professor Toshinori Fujie (Tokyo University of Science). Both will receive a research grant of 3 million yen. Additionally, 4 projects were selected for the "Innovative Precious Metals Award" and 5 for the "KIRAMEKI Award."
The Tanaka Kikinzoku Memorial Foundation develops activities that allow many people to feel a sense of a prosperous society, with the aim of pioneering and fostering new fields for precious metals and contributing to academic, technological, and socioeconomic development. This grant system has been implemented annually since fiscal 1999 to support various challenges toward a "new world pioneered by precious metals." Under the catchphrase "Creating a better tomorrow than today with inspiration and sparkle," the foundation solicited research and development themes that contribute to creating a "better future" through the creativity of researchers and the potential of precious metals. This 27th call for proposals received a total of 244 applications, from which a total of 27 research projects will be awarded research grants totaling 19.8 million yen.
The winners of the "Ichiro Tanaka Award," their research topics, and the reasons for their selection are as follows.
**■ Ichiro Tanaka Award**
**Professor Takanori Iwasaki, Kyushu University**
**"Chemical Recycling of Hard-to-Decompose Polymer Materials Using Hydrogen Transfer"**
This research focuses on the decomposition reaction of polyurethane using a unique precious metal complex catalyst. It has been demonstrated that polyurethane can be decomposed by hydrogen gas. The development of a chemical recycling method for polyurethane, used in cushioning materials such as car seats and mattresses, is indispensable for promoting the reuse of waste plastics, and was highly evaluated as R&D that will greatly contribute to the realization of an environmentally friendly society.
**■ Ichiro Tanaka Award**
**Professor Toshinori Fujie, Tokyo University of Science**
**"Development of Biodegradable Nanosheet Electrodes with Inkjet-Printed Gold Wiring and its Application to Plant Health Management Systems"**
In this research, arrayed gold electrodes are formed on a polymer ultra-thin film substrate to measure changes in the surface potential of plant leaves in real time. By considering materials with low impact on living organisms, it is expected that raw data from plants can be obtained. The research was also highly evaluated for the potential of the captured biological surface potential changes to represent various conditions not only in plants but also in animals.
In addition, 4 projects for the "Innovative Precious Metals Award," 16 for the "HIRAMEKI Award," and 5 for the "KIRAMEKI Award," as well as the overview of this grant program, are as follows. The call for proposals for the fiscal 2026 research grants is scheduled to begin this fall.
**— Fiscal 2025 "Research Grants for Precious Metals" Application Overview —**
**【Application Conditions】**
The research/development must be new, use or be applicable to precious metals, contribute to building a sustainable future, and fall under one of the following categories.