He demonstrated carbon fibers can be grown by gas pyrolysis and traveled to Orléans, France in 1974 working with Madame Agnès Oberlin at CNRS in her laboratory.
In his works, he developed the structural, synthetic research as well as physical properties analysis, mainly on multi-walled carbon nanotubes.
Present CCVD process has been expecting to grow the wide range of carbon nanotubes by controlling the growth site as well as their nanostructure.
His main research interests are science and applications of "nanocarbons" such as carbon nanotubes, and he has contributed to development of new composites and high-performance energy storage devices such as lithium ion battery, electric double layer capacitor, and fuel cell, based on such structure controlled advanced carbons.
Since 1990, he is a professor of education and training of electrical and electronics engineers, and now is also the director of Institute of Carbon Science & Technology, both at Shinshu University.