PRESS RELEASE

October 29, 2020
TANAKA Holdings Co., Ltd.
National Institutes for Quantum and Radiological Science and Technology

TANAKA Receives 2020 Technology Award fromCatalyst Manufacturers Association, Japan
Development of hydrophobic precious metal catalyst that improveshydrogen oxidation reaction and hydrogen infrastructure is evaluated
TANAKA Holdings Co., Ltd. (Head office: Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo; Representative Director & CEO: KoichiroTanaka) announced today that TANAKA Kikinzoku Kogyo K.K. (Head office: Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo;
Representative Director & CEO: Koichiro Tanaka), which operates the TANAKA Precious Metals
manufacturing business, has received the 2020 Technology Award from the Catalyst Manufacturers
Association, Japan, (CMAJ). The award was in recognition of the company’s joint development of ahydrophobic precious metal catalyst in collaboration with the National Institutes for Quantum andRadiological Science and Technology (Headquarters: Chiba-shi, Chiba; President: Toshio Hirano; QST).
Hitoshi Kubo, from TANAKA, and Yasunori Iwai, from QST, received the award and gave an acceptancespeech at the 2020 CMAJ award ceremony, held online on October 14.

Hydrophobic precious metal catalyst

Hydrophobic precious metal catalyst floating on water

Examples of Hydrophobic Precious Metal Catalyst Products
The hydrophobic precious metal catalyst for which the Technology Award was received was developed
through a collaboration between TANAKA and QST. It was developed as an ambient-temperature hydrogenoxidation technology for ITER and other nuclear fusion facilities. With its hydrophobicity enabling thecatalytic reaction to be maintained even at ambient temperatures, it is used for hydrogen oxidation reactions.
With conventional catalysts, moisture in the reaction gas and water vapor generated during reactions cover
the catalyst surface and stop the catalytic reaction, so they must be heated to prevent the water vapor

coating from occurring. Also, normal catalysts use plastic as the carrier, which makes them heat sensitive,causing combustion to occur as the temperature of the catalyst increases through the reaction.
This newly developed catalyst employs an inorganic material, which has better resistance to heat andradiation than plastic, as its underlying carrier. The carrier has a hydrophobic group attached (a substancethat is difficult to mix with water), which creates a uniform hydrophobic surface to the carrier to improve its
hydrophobic and heat-resistant properties. According to internal testing at TANAKA, a precious metal
catalyst consisting of this carrier coated with platinum can maintain hydrophobicity for 24 hours at atemperature of 450 °C.
This catalyst can be used for oxidation reactions of hydrogen and combustible gases, in nuclear fusion
facilities and elsewhere, without the need for heaters and other equipment. It also enables reactions in
outdoor environments without access to an electric power source or in disaster-affected areas during power
failures. Because of the hydrophobic properties of this catalyst, it has potential applications in safety
equipment to prevent explosions and other accidents. It is particularly promising for use in infrastructuredevelopment for the hydrogen energy society.
2020 Technology Award from Catalyst Manufacturers Association, Japan• Category:Technology Award• Recipients:

Hitoshi Kubo, TANAKA Kikinzoku Kogyo K.K.
Yasunori Iwai, National Institutes for Quantum and Radiological Science and Technology• Recognition: Development of a hydrophobic precious metal catalyst
Notes
Catalyst Manufacturers Association, Japan, was founded to promote the sound development of Japan’s catalyst industry,including companies manufacturing catalysts, producing catalyst-related materials, and dealing with catalyst products. It isJapan’s leading catalyst industry association, with participation by major catalyst manufacturers. The association’s award
system recognizes excellence in advanced catalyst-related technologies and technologies that have made a significantcontribution to the catalyst industry each year through Technology Awards, Distinguished Service Awards, and Special Awards.

ITER is an immense international project that aims to create mankind’s first experimental fusion reactor for demonstrating thescientific and technological feasibility of nuclear fusion energy for peaceful purposes. The seven ITER Members—Japan,Europe, the United States, Russia, Korea, China, and India—aim to begin the operation of the reactor by 2025.

■TANAKA Kikinzoku Kogyo K.K.
Headquarters: 22F, Tokyo Building, 2-7-3 Marunouchi, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo
Representative: Koichiro Tanaka, Representative Director & CEO
Founded: 1885
Incorporated: 1918
Capital: 500 million yen
Employees: 2,393 (as of March 31, 2020)
Sales: JPY 992,679,879,000 (FY2019)
Main businesses:
Manufacture, sales, import, and export of precious metals (platinum, gold, silver, and others) and various types ofindustrial precious metals products.
URL: https://tanaka-preciousmetals.com■ National Institutes for Quantum and Radiological Science and Technology
Headquarters:
4-9-1, Anagawa, Inage-ku, Chiba-shi, Chiba 263-8555, Japan
President:
Hirano Toshio
Established:
2016
Employees:
1,301 full-time staff (as of September 1, 2020)
Business activities: Cancer therapy with charged particles, radiation effects on human bodies, medical
applications of radiation, radiation protection and radiation emergency medicine,material science with quantum beams, development of life science with quantum
beams, quantum science with high power lasers, nuclear fusion as the ultimate energy
source for mankind centered around international collaborations such as the ITER
Project and the Broader Approach (BA) Activities.
URL:
https://www.qst.go.jp/site/qst-english/<Press Inquiries>
TANAKA Holdings Co., Ltd.
https://tanaka-preciousmetals.com/en/inquiries-for-media/