Core Technology
Representative core technologies of Niterra
Niterra has a wide variety of specialized technologies.
Blending various materials such as ceramics with nano-level particle sizes, creating shapes freely, baking at high temperature, detecting invisible matter...
for environment and energy, mobility, medical care, and communications, many different technologies have been refined in a wide range of manufacturing, including ceramics, with the potential to be used globally in areas beyond ceramics.
These technologies are expected to contribute to solving the problems facing the world.
Ceramic material technology
We develop in-house the materials used in manufacturing.In addition to maximizing the advantages of ceramics, which have various characteristics such as heat resistance, hardness, and wear resistance, we also draw out new performance by combining ceramics with resins and metals.For example, electro-static chuck play an important role in semiconductor manufacturing.
These are a disk-shaped product that holds silicon wafers in place during the semiconductor manufacturing process, but given that the required performance differs between the front and back sides, it is necessary to bond the ceramics and metal firmly together. Joining different materials is extremely difficult, but we have overcome this difficulty by using a special adhesive developed in-house.
In the oxygen sensor, zirconia and platinum are joined together using a technique called metallization. We also mix different types of ceramics to create ceramics with unprecedented properties.
With our unique know-how, we thoroughly research various materials and create the optimal material from countless formulations and combinations. This is our material technology.
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Ceramic molding technology
Ceramics are said to be difficult to process due to their extreme hardness.
However, for more than 80 years we have been developed a wide range of manufacturing methods, and we have the expertise to freely process various ceramic materials and produce high-quality products. One of these is our molding technology. This includes many related technologies, such as extrusion molding technology for processing into rods and plates, press molding technology for processing by applying optimum pressure, and sheet molding technology for processing into ultra-thin sheets, and these are used as appropriate for each product.
Among these, sheet lamination technology is one of our core technologies. For example, in the case of semiconductor package substrates, sheet-like ceramics with fine wiring formed at high density are piled up in multiple layers to be formed into a plate, and baked. If the sheet shifts even slightly during this process, the electricity will not flow.
Furthermore, shrinkage and warping during baking must also be taken into account. Our sheet lamination technology enables precise lamination and has greatly contributed to the evolution of electronic equipment and smart devices.
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Harsh environment resistance
Vehicle exhaust gas regulations are becoming stricter year by year around the world. This is where Niterra’s oxygen sensing technology can help.
The concentration of oxygen in exhaust gas changes depending on the combustion state of the engine, so it is essential to have a ceramic sensor that responds to oxygen. This constantly monitors the oxygen concentration and sends a signal to the engine's computer to control fuel injection, contributing to the reduction of harmful exhaust emissions and improving fuel efficiency.
Engines are very hot, so the sensor must withstand the hot exhaust and water splashing in the exhaust pipes. With our own unique technology, we have achieved performance that can stably and accurately sense oxygen concentrations in this harsh environment. This technology leads the world in terms of precision, responsiveness, heat resistance, and water resistance. In addition to the precise detection capability of the sensor itself, we are also contributing to the improvement of the environmental performance of automobiles in various ways, such as designs that achieve both high quality and mass production.
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Power generation technology
Fuel cells are gaining attention as clean energy that does not emit CO2. Ceramics support the generation of power.
Electricity is generated using zirconia, a material in which oxygen ions move through the ceramic when there is a difference in oxygen concentration between the front and back of the ceramic plate.
Morimura SOFC, a group company, has developed a "stack" consisting of many layers of cells made of sheet-shaped zirconia, and is working on the practical application of SOFC, a type of fuel cell. Zirconia does not move oxygen ions unless it is at a high temperature of 600 degrees, so the stack must withstand that heat. Various technologies are used in this process,such as "material design technology", "sintering technology", "seal technology", "flow path design technology", and "temperature control technology." The Morimura SOFC “stack” has a high output density, and has the advantage of being able to generate power efficiently in a small space. SOFC is a next-generation energy that contributes to carbon neutrality. Morimura SOFC aims to achieve the world's top-level power generation efficiency.
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Heater control
A heater that blows hot air as soon as the switch is turned on. A car engine that starts smoothly even on cold days. These seem relatively straight-forward, but the characteristics of ceramics are actually utilized here as well.
Niterra has developed a ceramic heater which mixes metal with ceramics, which is an insulator, to intentionally obstructs the flow of electricity due to electrical resistance and generate heat. Ceramics and metals are mixed with ceramics thinned by sheet molding technology to form electrodes and are then sintered together, but it is necessary to control the timing of the sintering so that distortion does not occur. We have established a technology that stably controls the electrical resistance required for heaters, and provides high-quality, highly efficient heaters.
Ceramic heaters with such excellent heat conduction can heat rapidly, up to about 1,000℃ in 1 second. The "electro-static chuck" used in semiconductor manufacturing equipment is also equipped with such a ceramic heater, contributing to the production of high-performance semiconductors through thorough temperature control.
We will continue to pursue the possibilities of "heating power" with ceramics technology and open up new fields.
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Plasma/ozone control
We are working on plasma/ozone technology that leads to air purification and the suppression of bacteria and viruses. When heat is applied to a substance, it changes from a solid to a liquid and then to a gas, but when more energy is added to a gaseous state, the electrons circling the nucleus are released from their orbits and split into negative ions and positive ions. This is the fourth state of matter called "plasma". We are working on technology to generate and utilize plasma by applying voltage between ceramic panels containing electrodes. By using ceramics for the electrodes there is excellent wear resistance and corrosion resistance, enabling stable plasma generation. The energy of this plasma then produces ozone, a substance in which three oxygen atoms are bonded. Ozone is a substance with strong oxidizing power, which can supress bacteria, viruses, and odors by oxidation. Niterra develops and sells the ozone generator "Sumikaze," which is equipped with plasma/ozone technology. Sumikaze has been proven to suppress 99% of viruses in the air, and is expected to be used in various situations in the future. Our plasma/ozone technology contributes to a safe and clean life.
