Tsuyoshi Hoshino, a senior principal researcher at the Department of Fusion Reactor Materials Research in Rokkasho Fusion Energy Centre, received a 15th Green & Sustainable Chemistry (GSC) Encouragement Award at the 5th JACI/GSC symposium for the title “Innovative lithium recovery technique from seawater by using dialysis with a lithium ionic superconductor”. The prize was given by the Japan Association for Chemical Innovation at the ANA Crowne Plaza Kobe on Thursday, 2nd June 2016 in front of approximately 850 participants.
GSCN | JACI 公益社団法人新化学技術推進協会
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Lithium is an essential resource for the sustainable development of Japan, where manufacturing takes an important role in maintaining its competitiveness. We are in need of establishing a secure source of supply, without being dependent on foreign imports. Whereat, Tsuyoshi Hoshino focuses attention on the point that seawater contains an inexhaustible supply of lithium, and developed technology to take advantage of a geographical characteristic of Japan, as an island country surrounded by seas on all sides. Through various experiments, he proposed a technique for recovering lithium from seawater by means of a lithium ion superconductor. When a difference in lithium concentration between the seawater and the lithium recovery solution exists, lithium ions flow through the lithium ion superconductor. In other words, lithium ions can be spontaneously recovered from seawater without the application of outside voltage, and electrical power is generated.
This research result has been published by various media and gained attention by both academic and industry, including receipt of the Young Scientists’ prize by the Minster of Education, Culture, Sports and Technology last year. He continues his research and development for realization of the construction of a pilot plant, which will become a commercialization base.
Tsuyoshi Hoshino, a senior scientist at the Department of Fusion Reactor
Materials Research in Rokkasho Fusion Energy Centre, received a 15th Green &
Sustainable Chemistry (GSC) Encouragement Award at the 5th JACI/GSC symposium