Department of Organic Materials

Functional Polymer Section

TEL:+81-727-51-9522
FAX:+81-727-51-9628
E-mail:kobunshi@onri.go.jp

Last update: December 8, 1997

Scope of Section

In the Functional Polymer Section, basic researches are carried out on development and evaluation of such functional polymers as biodegradable polymers, biomedical polymers, functional oligosaccharides, and polymeric membranes, based on polymer syntheses and polymer reactions. On the research of biodegradable polymers , the development of such polymers as polyesters, copolyesteramides, copolyesterethers, etc., prepared by chemical syntheses, and the evaluation of their biodegradability using enzymes and microorganisms are undertaken. The evaluation of biodegradability in soil and seawater is also conducted in order to develop the adequate method of the evaluation of biodegradability in each environment. On top of these, the research on the assessment of environmental acceptability of compounds produced by biodegradation is planned to be undertaken. On the research of functional oligosaccharides, the methods of the preparation of pure oligosaccharides of chitin and chitosan, which are produced from crab and prawn shells, have been developed. On the basis of these achievements, research work is under way on chemical modifications and function development of the oligosaccharides.

Current reserach programs

Development of biorecycable and biodegradable plastics
[FY９～１１]
Development of efficient biorecycling process for waste biodegradable plastics and assessment of its environmental acceptability
[FY８～１２]
Utilization of polysaccharides from the waste of marine products
[FY７～９]
Bioactive oligosaccharides and biomaterials from chitosan
[FY７～９]
In vivo evaluation of biocompatibility of polymeric materials
[FY８～９]
Sutdy of functional polymeric films by photopolymerizations
[FY６～９]

Staffs of Section

name	research area of interest	E-mail address
Dr. Sei-ichi AIBA (Head of the Section)	Syntheses and application of chitosan oligosaccharides	aiba@onri.go.jp
Dr. Kazuko HAYASHI	Leukocyte adhesion onto polymer surface under blood flow Bio-absorbable polymers	kazuko@onri.go.jp
Dr. Taichi ICHIHASHI	Functional polymeric films Photopolymerization	ichi@onri.go.jp
Mr. Einosuke MURAKI	Syntheses and application of chitosan oligosaccharides	muraki@onri.go.jp
Mr. Atsuyoshi NAKAYAMA	Recycling of biodegradable plastics Enzymatic polymerization Functional polymer	nakayama@onri.go.jp
Mr. Norioki KAWASAKI	Synthesis and evaluation of biodegradable polymers Functional polymer	kawasaki@onri.go.jp

Recent publication of research

papers published on magazines
- E.Muraki, F.Yaku and H.Kojima
  "Preparation and crystallization of D-glucosamine oligosaccharides with dp6-8"
  [Carbohydr. Res., vol.239, p.227 1993]
- E.Muraki, F.Yaku, J.Iyoda and H.Kojima
  "Measurement of degree of deacetylation in D-glucosamine oligosaccharides by UV absorption"
  [Biosci. Biotechnol. Biochem., vol.57, p.1929 1993]
- S. Aiba
  "Preparation of N-acetylchitooligosaccharides by hydrolysis of chitosan with chitinase followed by N-acetylation"
  [Carbohydr. Res., vol.265, p.323 1994]
- A. Nakayama, N.Kawasaki, N.Yamamoto, I.Arvanitoyannis
  "Enzymatic hydrolysis of poly(L-lactide-co-ε-caprolactone)s"
  [Sen-i Gakkaishi, vol.51, p.131 1995]
- A.Nakayama, N.Kawasaki, I.Arvanitoyannis, J.Iyoda and N.Yamamoto
  "Synthesis and degradability of a novel aliphatic polyester: poly(β-methyl-δ-valerolactone-co-L-lactide)"
  [Polymer, vol.36, p.1295 1995]
- A.Nakayama, N.Kawasaki, S.Aiba and N.Yamamoto
  "Study on biodegradability of poly(β-methyl-δ-valerolactone-co-L-lactide)s
  [Seitaizairyo, vol.14, p.66 1996]
- A.Nakayama, N.Kawasaki, I.Arvanitoyannis, S.Aiba and N.Yamamoto
  "Synthesis and biodegradation of poly(γ-butyrolactone-co-L-lactide)"
  [J. Environ. Polym. Deg., vol.4, p.205 1996]
- A.Nakayama, N.Kawasaki, S.Aiba, N.Yamamoto, H.Sakai, K.Yamasaki, Y.Maeda, T.Takeuchi and T.Higashi
  "Evaluation of biodegradability of poly(ε-caprolactone-co-ε-caprolactam) and poly(ε-caprolactone-co-ω-laurolacytam)
  [Sen'i Gakkaishi vol.53, p.373 1997]
- A.Nakayama, N.Kawasaki, Y.Maeda, I.Arvanitoyannis, S.Aiba and N.Yamamoto
  "Study of biodegradability of poly(δ-valerolactone-co-L-lactide)s"
  [J. Appl. Polym. Sci., vol.66, p.741 1997]

Others

Please send questions / comments to kobunshi@onri.go.jp .

by M.Taniguchi, Osaka Natl. Res. Inst.