Tokyo, Japan - Sony Corporation "Sony" today announced that it has begun licensing Triporous™, a plant-based porous carbon material, to the fiber and apparel industries.

Triporous is a porous carbon material with a unique microstructure that is created from rice husks. In addition to the 2nm micropores found in activated carbon, it also contains large quantities of 2 to 50nm mesopores and 1μm macropores. For this reason, Triporous easily adsorbs large substances, such as high-molecular-weight organic compounds, which are difficult to adsorb with conventional activated carbon, while also capable of high adsorption speeds of low-molecular-weight compounds.

Since Sony first began licensing Triporous™ in January 2019, it has collaborated with various companies and research institutions to promote the commercialization of Triporous products. Sony partnered with several companies to begin researching fibers to utilize Triporous, and today Sony is proud to announce the sales launch of products using these fibers from our partner companies.

Products developed by using Triporous in the fiber and apparel industries will feature the trademark "Triporous FIBER™." Triporous FIBER is capable of quickly absorbing odor molecules like ammonia, acetic acid, and isovaleric acid that lead to body odor from sweating and other activities. The deodorizing agents also last longer, and also desorbs the adsorbed particles in the washer, leading to the recovery of deodorizing functions. Additionally, it has also been found to have antibacterial and bacterial inhibiting effects for bacteria such as Moraxella osloensis, which are a source of unpleasant odors in partially-dried clothes.

Triporous FIBER
Triporous FIBER developed by partner companies

By expanding the remarkable functionality of Triporous, which makes use of the excess biomass of discarded rice husks (a renewable, plant-based organic resource), to the fiber and apparel industries, Sony will continue contributing to the realization of an environmentally-friendly and recycling-oriented society.

Becoming a Licensee Company/Partner Company

Sony is currently searching for partner companies who are interested in using Triporous in their own products and factories, as well as those considering a partnership with Sony in the Triporous business, and research institutions interested in conducting fundamental research/applied development using Triporous.

For inquiries related to licensing, products, or technologies:

• IP Incubation & Investment Department Intellectual Property Center, Sony Corporation

Taking advantage of the outstanding adsorption characteristics of Triporous, Sony is working to develop products and solutions through licensing for a variety of fields that require water purification, air purification, or deodorization.