Makoto Kobayashi is primarily interested in the syngas purification system for integrated gasification combined cycle power generation. He was involved in operating dry gas cleaning process for syngas produced at prototype of MHI type air-blown coal gasifier from 1987 to 1989. A series of dry-removal sorbents for halides, mercury, and sulfur compounds were developed through the research projects that were conducted by him for IGCC, IGFC and biomass gasification fuel cell power generation. In particular, he has developed durable and regenerable sorbents for dry sulfur removal process in 1990s, which is capable of reducing sulfur compounds to tolerant level of high temperature fuel cell. The sorbent was further improved in resistance to carbon deposition in syngas and was applied to current test facility of dry syngas purification process for advanced IGCC. He also contributed basic design and economical evaluation of IGCC equipped with dry syngas process. His current research project is the verification of dry acid gas removal processes that are suitable to treat syngas for efficient IGCC power generation plants with CO2 capturing feature.