Press Release
Sept. 15, 2023
Association of Asia-Pacific Physical Societies (AAPPS)
Division of Plasma Physics (AAPPS-DPP)

AAPPS-DPP Plasma Innovation Prize– Professor Takayuki Watanabe is selected as Fifth Laureate (2023) –The Division of Plasma Physics (CEO: Mitsuru Kikuchi, Chair: Abhijit Sen) underthe Association of Asia Pacific Physical Societies (President: Hyoung Joon Choi)
selected Professor Takayuki Watanabe of Kyushu University as the 5th Laureate ofAAPPS-DPP Plasma Innovation Prize, which is awarded to scientists who have madeseminal / pioneering contributions in the field of plasma applications, focusing on
impacts on industry.
Citations:Takayuki Watanabe: For his outstanding contributions to applications of thermal
plasma processing, in particular, for nanomaterials synthesis based on sophisticatedmodeling and experimental investigation; for invention and commercialization ofplasma waste treatment by water thermal plasma; and for invention of multiphase AC
arc which led to successful industrial application of glass melting technology.

Certificates of 2023 Plasma Innovation Prize
Certificate, medal and cash prize will be given at the 7th Asia-Pacific Conference on Plasma Physics (AAPPSDPP2023) Nov. 12-17, 2023 at Port Messe Nagoya.
Contact points：
AAPPS-DPP Association Inc. : Representative Director and CEO, Mitsuru Kikuchi, TEL: +81-80-1115-3482
AAPPS-DPP Homepage Address：http://aappsdpp.org/AAPPSDPPF/index.html

Press Release
On the achievements of Professor Takayuki Watanabe
Prof. Takayuki Watanabe was born in Yokohama, Japan, in 1961,
received his Ph. D at Tokyo Institute of Technology in 1991. Since
2013, he has been Professor of the Kyushu University. Prof. Takayuki
Watanabe has accomplished three great inventions for plasma processdevelopment.
The fist scientific significance is nanoparticle synthesis by thermal
plasmas. He invented functional nanoparticle synthesis by thermal
plasmas, based on the numerical modeling. Functional nanoparticles of silicide and boride prepared bythermal plasmas has been applied for electromagnetic shielding and neutron shielding. Recently, He
developed nanoparticle synthesis for cathode, anode, and electrolyte of lithium-ion secondary battery.
These nanoparticles leads to the development of all solid-state lithium-ion battery improvement withhigh energy density.
Prof. Takayuki Watanabe

The second scientific significance is waste treatment by thermal for efficient destruction of hazardous
and waste materials. Prof. Watanabe developed an innovative water plasma system for the treatmentof greenhouse gases, pharmaceuticals and personal care products, and hazardous organic wastes.
The third scientific significance is the development of multiphase AC arc. Prof. Watanabe developed innovative in-flightglass melting technology. Compared with the traditional glass
production, the total vitrification time is evaluated only 2-3 h.
This system provides significant energy savings with energy
requirements reduced by half.
Multi-Phase AC Arc

All of inventions above towards the plasma process innovations were developed by Prof. Watanabe’s
great scientific results and supported by his patents of 15 Registered Patents and 230 scientific papers.
Prof. Watanabe is extremely active in international conferences with 394 presentations including 75
keynote and invited talks, and published 145 papers as the conference proceedings. Over 30 years, hehas been an outstanding plasma scientist putting his heart into the progress of thermal plasma region
from both viewpoints of sciences and industries. From 2020 to 2023, he led the field of plasma
chemistry in industry and academia in Japan as chairman of the JSPS 153 Committee on Plasma
Science for Materials. He is the Board of Directors of International Plasma Chemistry Society, and heorganized 25th International Symposium on Plasma Chemistry as the Chair in 2023. Professor
Watanabe has carried out original research in both science and innovation, resulting in innovative
inventions and outstanding achievements, which are worthy of the AAPPS-DPP Plasma Innovation
Prize 2023.

Press Release
Appendix: 2023 AAPPS-DPP Plasma Innovation Prize
AAPPS-DPP Plasma Innovation Prize was founded by the AAPPS-DPP in 2019. This prize is given to a plasma
physicist/engineer annually to recognize outstanding contributions to experimental and/or theoretical research in all
fields of plasma applications, focusing on impacts on industry. The prize recipients were Professor Roderick Boswell(2019), Masaru Hori (2020), Dr. Anthony B Murphy (2021), no winner (2022). The 2023 Selection Committee
composed of leading physicists of plasma application in Asia-Pacific region.
Selection committee:
Chairman: Prof. Rajdeep S. Rawat (Nanyang Technological University)
Members: Prof Paul K Chu (City University of Hong Kong)
Prof Paul Lee Choon Keat (Nanyang Technological University)
Prof Wonho Choe (Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology)
Prof Hae June Lee (Pusan National University)
Prof XinPei Lu (HuaZhong University of Science and Technology)
Prof Zhang Guixin (Tsinghua University)
Prof Masafumi Ito (Meijo University)
Dr Masaru Izawa (Hitachi Hightech Co Ltd)Prof Sudeep Bhattacharjee (IIT-Kampur)
Prof Heremba Bailung (Institute of Advanced Study in Science and Technology (IASST))Prof Katia Bazaka (Australian National University)
Prof Patrick J Cullen (University of Sydney)