Magnetics Business & Technology - May/June 2021 - 30

INDUSTRY NEWS

Toyota to License Nanomaterial Technology for Magnet Synthesis from Its R&D for Hybrid
and Electric Vehicles
applicability to lightweight materials and electrochemistry like
batteries and catalysts. We're excited by our discoveries and
want to offer it to others. "

Basically, how does the technology work?

" As many scientists know, there are great end-user advantages
of nanomaterials, but many do not understand the challenges
to create them, " explained Rowe. " There is an abysmally small
amount of universality in nanomaterial production. Every time
you need to make a new type of nanomaterial, especially as
they become more complex, you almost have to reinvent the
wheel in the lab and come up with a new recipe. "

Interested in getting the benefits from a world-renowned research and development company that invests over $1 million
per hour, without actually having to spend $1 million per hour?
Well, Toyota has just the program for you. It covers a broad
array of technologies, one of them is nanomaterial synthesis of
strong rare-earth-free magnets that its researchers developed
for use in hybrid and electric vehicles and automobile components such as actuators and motors.
Called Toyota IP Solutions, the program is intended to help promote and serve as an access point for the licensing of patents
to US and global companies. Begun in December 2019 with
four portfolios, the program has grown to include many others
now.
" As one of the world's leading patent providers, our intellectual
property spans a wide range of technologies. We're excited
that the various technologies now being offered via the Toyota
IP Solutions program are not limited to the automotive industry
and many can be applied to other products, " said Chris Reynolds, chief administration officer of manufacturing and corporate
resources for Toyota Motor North America, when the program
was introduced.
Nano-Material Synthesis, one of the four original portfolios,
covers novel compositions and methods which provide for quick
and cost-effective production of high purity nanomaterials of
virtually any chemical element or alloy. The technology can be
applied to the synthesis of extremely high-quality electrodes
and strong rare-earth-free magnets.

In recent discussions with Toyota executives, Magnetics Magazine explored aspects of the program that apply to magnetic technology and the status of the program. Our sources
for this update were Michael Rowe, principal scientist with
Toyota Research Institute North America, and Fred Mau,
intellectual property counsel, Toyota Motor North America.
" This technology was developed by Toyota through its R&D
work on next generation magnetic materials to make hybrid
and electric vehicle motors and power systems, " said Rowe.
" We created some prototypes using this technology and found

Magnetics Business & Technology * May/June 2021

" We came up with nanomaterial synthesis technology that is
a far more universal means of producing nanomaterials, " he
continued. " It is much more akin to modifying a chocolate chip
cookie recipe than actually coming up with a new recipe every
time. Further, our process scales up in bulk easily because it's
a mechanically based system, instead of liquid solution-based
systems. The result is scale and versatility, much faster than
you would normally realize in any R&D environment. What really amazed us as scientists was the vastness of what we can
cover, almost the entire periodic table. We get scope, versatility
and quantity, all in a neat little package. "

What are examples of products that might be achieved by
licensing?

" Nanomaterials are used in many different industries from electronics to personal care products to lightweighting materials, "
explained Mau. " Other applications include aerospace, who
are always looking for the next great thing, and possibly the
medical industry, depending on how certain treatments come
out of the research field. Anywhere you need high performance,
high quality composite materials or additives would be right for
this technology. A lot of the current nanomaterials are designed
by very specific production methods. Here, we have a means
of producing almost any nano material, or variation thereof, on
the periodic table by using essentially the same method and
precursor materials. This is a process that can be used to make
almost anything that you want in a very cost effective and efficient manner. "

What is the status of the program, and has it been licensed
yet for magnetic applications?

" Our licensing program is open for business, " replied Mau. " It
was initially launched in December of 2019 with four portfolios,
and we now have 28 portfolios available including the nanomaterial synthesis technology that we have been discussing here.
We are having continuing discussions with several potential
partners across a number of technical disciplines. There is
nothing I can disclose now, but we expect to have a few announcements this year. "
" Companies that are interested in licensing the nanomaterial
synthesis technology or want to explore what else Toyota has
available for licensing can visit the Toyota IP Solutions website
and contact us through the portal there. People should take a
look because they would be amazed by the breadth of tech-

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Magnetics Business & Technology - May/June 2021

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