Environmental

HONEYCERAM is a ceramic substrate for catalytic converters to purify harmful contents in the exhaust of automobiles. It carries a catalyst that detoxifies harmful substances by chemical reaction, and its honeycomb structure provides a greater contact surface area for the exhaust and thus gives better purifying performance.
Since the launch of mass production in 1976, over 1.5 billion units have been shipped of this essential ceramic product for purifying exhaust. NGK’s HONEYCERAM eliminates a total of four million metric tons of NOx per annum^*1, equivalent to double the annual NOx emissions in Japan^*2.

• Assumption based on installation of exhaust gas system in new cars that are not equipped with such systems
• Source: OECD Environmental Statistics (2012)

The DPF is a porous ceramic filter used worldwide in the exhaust systems of diesel vehicles. With a pore structure, the filter ensures particulate matter (PM) is captured to purify the exhaust emitted from diesel vehicles. NGK is the only company to produce two types of DPFs based on both cordierite and silicon carbide. NGK’s ceramic technology support further developments for diesel vehicles.
The honeycomb structure, where the inlet and outlet of the through-holes are alternately sealed, enables the thin ceramic walls to efficiently capture PM while exhaust passes through.

GPFs are ceramic filters that remove particulate matter (PM) from the exhaust of gasoline-powered vehicles.
We developed this filter based on diesel particulate filter (DPF) technology, and succeeded in producing a GPF that can achieve high performance (captures more PM) and low pressure loss (lower fuel costs and higher output) at the same time through the use of our proprietary micropore creation and control technologies. We were the first to commercialize a GPF in 2012, and commenced mass production in January 2016 at one of our subsidiaries.
As automobile emission regulations throughout the world become stricter, we expect that demand for GPFs will increase. To respond to this demand increase, we are boosting production capacity.

NGK developed the world’s first in-vehicle sensor to measure concentrations of nitrogen oxides (NOx) in exhaust in real time with high precision.
Specifically, the sensor is capable of measuring NOx concentration at the parts per million (ppm) level and can thus detect even very small amounts of the noxious substance. The sensor supports precise control of the exhaust purification device used in diesel vehicles, which leads to a reduction in NOx emissions and helps to promote the use of clean diesel vehicles.

Providing clean energy that burns no fossil fuels and releases no CO₂ emissions, renewable energy is on the rise worldwide. The NAS battery stabilizes fluctuations in the output of renewable energy such as wind and solar power—which are susceptible to weather conditions—by appropriately storing and discharging the electricity provided.
Increases in the amount of renewable energy depending on the season or time of day lead to electricity surpluses that make it difficult to constantly balance electricity supply and demand. NAS batteries use their high capacity to store excess electricity and enable supply–demand balance, thus making more widespread use of renewable energy practical.

(As of June 2020)

Our wavelength control drying system uses a proprietary heater unit developed in-house to promote the evaporation of solvents.
This system uses specific infrared frequencies to effectively facilitate evaporation, shortening drying time to approximately ½ to ⅓ of that required for conventional drying methods using heat, and reducing power consumption by 30 to 50%. It is also possible to suppress binder segregation, which is an expression of variations in concentration that occur due to drying of the soluble component in films during drying, by 30 to 40% (in-house binder segregation study).

This low-defect density gallium nitride (GaN) wafer uses NGK’s original crystal growth method covering the entire wafer. With the Minamata Convention on Mercury going into effect in August 2017, there is expected to be high demand for high-output, high-efficiency semiconductor lasers using GaN wafers as a substitute for ultra-high-pressure mercury lamps. They are expected to see use in light sources for projectors, stadium lighting, car headlamps, and other products.
We see applications for the gallium nitride (GaN) wafer in high-frequency devices for next-generation 5G wireless base stations, and power devices key to realizing a low-carbon society such as inverters for electric vehicles and power conversion equipment for photovoltaic power.

Micro-lenses for UV LEDs are transparent quartz glass lenses developed by NGK that are used in UV LEDs in place of mercury lamps. Mercury lamps are currently used in light sources used in applications such as the sterilization of water and air. However, factors such as the Minamata Convention going into effect are increasing the likelihood that mercury lamps will be banned and sparking interest in UV LEDs that do not use mercury. NGKs micro-lenses for UV LEDs are characterized by a cavity that holds a UV LED chip, a feature that improves UV LED efficiency and lowers costs.