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Design Engineering Lab
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A lab that explores the mechanisms of friction and wear between biological joints and resins.
AboutAbout the lab
Going beyond the framework of mechanical engineering with soft materials.
The Design Engineering Lab focuses on soft advanced materials such as biomaterials and soft matter, working to discover and clarify mechanical phenomena and to develop new functional materials.
Through experiments, it studies resins used in artificial joints, hydrogels intended for use as artificial cartilage, and resin sealing materials for hydrogen stations.
It also explores the mechanism of superlubrication in biological joints, that is, why human joints move so smoothly.
Through joint research with overseas research groups, the lab promotes exchange, including inviting researchers and sending students abroad.
Key terms
- Hydrogel
- A polymer material that contains a lot of water. Those used for artificial cartilage have flexibility and water content similar to articular cartilage
- Superlubrication
- Extremely low friction. In the joints of the lower limbs, friction becomes as small as that of a skate on ice
- PTFE composite
- A material made by adding several kinds of fillers to polytetrafluoroethylene resin. It is mainly used for sealing components in hydrogen compressors
NewsLab news
A fourth-year undergraduate student is recognized as an Outstanding Presenter at the Undergraduate Research Presentation Meeting of the Kyushu Branch of the Japan Society of Mechanical Engineers
A paper by doctoral students and others is published in Tribology International
A fourth-year undergraduate student is recognized as an Outstanding Presenter at the Undergraduate Research Presentation Meeting of the Kyushu Branch of the Japan Society of Mechanical Engineers
ResearchResearch themes
This lab studies the smooth motion of biological joints and the friction and wear of resins used in artificial joints and hydrogen seals. Focusing on soft materials, it works to clarify mechanical phenomena and develop new functional materials, pioneering new fields that go beyond the framework of mechanical engineering.
*Illustrative imageSuperlubrication Mechanism of Biological Joints
Joints such as the elbow and knee move smoothly with extremely low friction while bearing large loads. The lab experimentally investigates the lubrication functions of articular cartilage, its surface, and synovial fluid, and explores how they work together.
*Illustrative imageHigh-Strength Resins for Artificial Joints
Resins used in artificial joints have problems with insufficient strength and wear resistance. The lab clarifies the mechanisms of sliding motion and wear in the body, and evaluates the friction and wear of high-strength resin composites to assess their suitability as artificial joint materials.
*Illustrative imageHydrogel Artificial Cartilage
The lab aims to create biomimetic artificial joints that use hydrogels, which have flexibility and water content similar to articular cartilage, as artificial cartilage. It evaluates mechanical, friction, and wear properties in environments that imitate the inside of the body to find suitable materials.
*Illustrative imageFriction and Wear of Resin Sealing Materials in Hydrogen
High-pressure hydrogen compressors at hydrogen stations use sealing components made of PTFE composites. The lab evaluates the friction and wear of PTFE composites of different compositions in high-purity hydrogen gas, aiming to clarify the detailed mechanisms.
MembersFaculty
The members of the Design Engineering Lab consist of faculty members, a Project Assistant Professor, technical staff, administrative assistants, secretaries, and doctoral, master's, and undergraduate students.As of 2026
- ProfessorYoshinori Sawae
- Associate ProfessorSeido Yarimitsu
- Assistant ProfessorHironori Shinmori
- Project Assistant ProfessorTakehiro Morita
- Project Assistant ProfessorLi Wenxiao
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Report an errorAbout the images
The top and research theme images are illustrative and were not taken at the lab. They are cropped from Wikimedia Commons images. Cropped CC BY-SA images are provided under the same CC BY-SA license as the original (version shown on each line).
- Top image: “Prosthesis 002” National Institute of Standards and Technology / Public domain (cropped)
- Superlubrication Mechanism of Biological Joints: “Cartilage from mouse joint” Kevin Mackenzie, University of Aberdeen / CC BY 4.0 (cropped)
- High-Strength Resins for Artificial Joints: “Cdm hip implant closeup 354” Booyabazooka / CC BY-SA 3.0 (cropped)
- Hydrogel Artificial Cartilage: “Picture of peptide hydrogel formation shown by the inverted vial method” Hutchinson Jessica / CC BY-SA 4.0 (cropped)
- Friction and Wear of Resin Sealing Materials in Hydrogen: “H2 HYDROGEN SEAL - NARA - 17468586” 作者不詳 / Public domain (cropped)
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- Related lab (水素機能材料学研究室): “TotalEnergies hydrogen station in Magdeburg” Michał Beim / CC BY-SA 4.0 (cropped)
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