2025-07-07 | Tohoku University, where Professor Hirotomo Nishihara, CSO of 3DC Inc. ("3DC"), belongs, has been selected for Research and Development Item II "Elemental Technology Development for Next-Generation Fuel Cells and Water Electrolysis" in the 2025 "R&D projects aimed at expanding hydrogen utilization and enhancing industrial competitiveness" promoted by the New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization (NEDO).
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■ NEDO’S project overview
This project aims to accelerate research and technology development of fuel cells and water electrolysis, which play a pivotal role in hydrogen production and utilization, to expand hydrogen utilization and strengthen Japan's industrial competitiveness. It will build a common infrastructure that maximizes DX technology and promotes innovative elemental technology development, contributing to further performance improvement, increased durability, and cost reduction, in line with the product needs of large commercial vehicles and hydrogen production cost reduction shown in the NEDO technology development roadmap, thereby strengthening competitiveness in this field.
Project outline: https://www.nedo.go.jp/koubo/SE3_100001_00107.html
List of R&D themes selected: https://www.nedo.go.jp/content/800026574.pdf
■ Details of selected project
Tohoku University's proposal, "Research and Development of High-Performance, High-Durability Electrode Catalysts Using 3D Mesoporous Graphene," was selected under the theme of elemental technology development for next-generation fuel cells and water electrolysis (catalysts, diffusion layers, MEA), with Graphene MesoSponge® (GMS), the core technology of 3DC.
Carbon materials are known to be used as catalyst metal supports in fuel cells, but for practical application and further widespread use, it has been shown that improving durability to achieve higher operating temperatures and reducing the amount of catalyst metal loading to lower costs are indispensable. In this selected project, leveraging the structural controllability and chemical durability of GMS, we plan to develop carbon materials as catalyst metal supports that achieve unprecedented levels of catalytic activity and durability.
In the project, Advanced Institute for Materials Research (AIMR), where Prof. Nishihara has his lab, plays a leading role. 3DC is registered as a cooperating organization in this selected project and is scheduled to be responsible for manufacturing GMS samples used in MEA prototyping and development.
■ About 3DC
3DC is a Japanese startup company that develops and manufactures Graphene MesoSponge® (GMS), with the mission of "Creating a better world through the synergy of chemistry and physics."
3DC was founded from Tohoku University in 2022, aiming for the mass production of GMS, a next-generation carbon material, expected to be utilized in a wide range of applications, including batteries. In the battery industry, GMS is expected to be applied not only in lithium-ion batteries but also in all-solid-state batteries and lithium-sulfur batteries, which are anticipated for future commercialization.
Toward commercialization, in February 2024, shipments of conductive additive grade GMS for lithium-ion batteries began, and performance tests for practical application and commercialization are underway with numerous battery manufacturers. Furthermore, from March to May 2024, a total of JPY 580M was raised in the Pre-Series A round 2nd close from multiple venture capital firms and industrial players (https://prtimes.jp/main/html/rd/p/000000012.000098727.html), and from August to September 2024, multiple large grant programs sponsored by the Cabinet Office, etc., were granted (SIP&BRIDGE, GX). The cumulative amount raised (including grant) to date is JPY 2.97B.
We are striving for business development to realize a truly carbon-neutral society that is kind to the environment and people, by popularizing batteries with significantly improved functions and lifespan through GMS.
■ About GMS
GMS is a "three-dimensional graphene" material with a sponge-like three-dimensional structure that is only one carbon atom thick. As an innovative material that combines multiple excellent properties such as flexibility, porosity, conductivity, and corrosion resistance, it is attracting global attention as a carbon material that can resolve the "trade-off problem where another property deteriorates when capacity is improved" in batteries.
■ Recruitment Information
＜Open Positions＞
- Battery Application Research
- Manufacturing Shift Leader
- Material Application Development
- Technical Sales
- Corporate (Management Planning, Technical Administration)
＜Work Locations＞
Sendai City, Miyagi Prefecture, or Kawasaki City, Kanagawa Prefecture, or Toki City, Gifu Prefecture
If you are interested, please inquire using the form below.
■ 3DC Company Profile
Company Name: 3DC Inc.
Founders: Takuma Kuroda, Hirotomo Nishihara
Established: February 2022
Head Office: 2-1-1 Katahira, Aoba-ku, Sendai City, Miyagi Prefecture, Tohoku University Advanced Institute for Materials Research
Kawasaki Office: AIRBIC A38 & A4, Shin-Kawasaki Sozo-no-Mori District, 7-7 Shinkawasaki, Saiwai-ku, Kawasaki City, Kanagawa Prefecture
Business: Development, manufacturing, and sales of carbon materials
Contact Form: https://www.3dc.co.jp/en/contact
