Takeshi Iwasa

Control theory for molecular excited state with near field light

Researcher

Takeshi Iwasa

Outline

In quantum mechanics, excited states can be overlapped with the ground state wavefunciton by appling external fields. In this study, a theory “how we can control the excited states actively by using near-field light” will be developed from first principles, where the interaction between molecule and near-field light, as well as the design of near-field light will be studied with homemade methods.

Fumitaka Takeiri

Development of hydride ion intercalation using mixed-anion electrolytes

Researcher

Fumitaka Takeiri

Outline

Hydride ion conductors are expected to be applied to new electrochemical devices that can operate at medium and low temperatures, but their electrode reactions have not been pioneered yet. In this research, I develop electrode reactions using a cell including mixed-anion electrolytes with excellent hydride ion conductivity. Development in electrode reactions will open up innovative chemical conversion devices, as well as give a functional metastable phase in which the amount of hydrogen is electrochemically controlled.

Naoto Todoroki

Highly efficient and selective conversion of carbon dioxide by active control of anisotropic strain

Researcher

Naoto Todoroki

Outline

In this research, we will develop a method to actively control the anisotropic strain applied to the catalyst crystal lattice and to make the electrochemical carbon dioxide reduction reaction highly efficient and highly selective. Specifically, we will develop a device which enable us to apply and control the anisotropic strain to the catalyst layer, and an in-situ evaluation method for catalytic properties and structures under applying the strains. By making full use of newly developed devices and evaluation methods, we will realize a new reaction system that is not bound by conventional theory.

Ayako Nakata

Theoretical analysis and design of metallic nanoparticle catalysts activated by controlling electronic structures of support bases

Researcher

Ayako Nakata

Outline

The purpose of this research is to get a hint how to control the activity of metallic nanoparticle by the control of support base. The interactions between metallic nanoparticle catalysts and support bases will be investigated precisely by large-scale density functional theory (DFT) calculations. Nano-scale particle models will be used to consider realistic environment around the interfaces between nanoparticles and support bases. By introducing defects and dopants to the support bases, the effect of the change of the electronic structure of the support base to the activity of the nanoparticle catalyst will be investigated.

Akinobu Nakada

Development of polymer photocatalysts guiding photoexcited carriers toward the catalytic site

Researcher

Akinobu Nakada

Outline

This project focuses on to develop a new approach to construct polymer photocatalysts, which guide photoexcited carriers toward the catalytic site, from precisely-designed molecular units. By employing the above-described approach, this project tergets a highly-efficient photocatalytic CO2 reduction using water as an electron donor without any electrochemical assitance by utilizing the newly-developed polymer photocatalyst having the specific characters of both molecular and semiconductor photocatalyst materials.

Takashi Nakamura

Active control of reaction field by chemical potential tuning

Researcher

Takashi Nakamura

Outline

It is generally accepted that the chemical potential of the carrier ion of the solid electrolyte can be tuned by applying voltage to the solid electrolyte cell. In this project, the above-mentioned phenomena are utilized to establish a new material synthesis technique which enable us to actively control the driving force of chemical reactions during synthesis. Such an active control of driving force will allow the control of defect structure of the target material. With this technique, I am going to control anion defects in oxide based materials and develop a new material design concept based on defect engineering.

Naoka Nagamura

Development of operando imaging technique for local chemical reactions by combining multi-tip probes and spectromicroscopy

Researcher

Naoka Nagamura

Outline

Local chemical reactions at interfaces and defects play a key role in the device application of innovative chemical reactions. In this research, I will develop a novel operando imaging technique with active reaction control by combining spectromicroscopy, which indicates X-ray scaninng photoelectron microscopy, X-ray absorption spectroscopy imaging, and raman mapping, for element-selective nondestructive analysis and multi-tip probe measurements for ion/carrier implantation. Utilizing this technique, I aim to perform systematic investigation of mechanisms of local chemical reactions and factors of spatially inhomogeneous chemical reactions in microscopic device structures of batteries and catalysts.

Ryo Nouchi

Inducing chemical reactions at low temperatures with high efficiency by hot electron transistors based on atomic layers

Researcher

Ryo Nouchi

Outline

Injection of high energy electrons is effective for inducing chemical reactions that require high temperatures, such as nitrogen fixation reactions. It has long been known that such electrons can be formed by applying a voltage across a tunnel junction, but they have been limited to induction of reactions locally near the electrodes. This project aims to scale up the reaction system by maximizing the effective area and minimizing energy attenuation by using a hot electron transistor based on atomic layers.

Takashi Hisatomi

Development of efficient visible-light-driven photocatalysts with controlled charge transfer

Researcher

Takashi Hisatomi

Outline

Highly crystalline particulate oxynitride photocatalysts exposing well developed crystal facets, which are suitable for studying site selective cocatalyst coloading, will be prepared by growing particles in flux, designing structures and compositions of precursor oxides, doping lower valent metal cation, and etc. Using the prepared photocatalysts, technologies for site selective loading of hydrogen evolution cocatalysts and oxygen evolution cocatalysts will be developed, and the effect on the transport characteristics and reactivity of charge carriers will be evaluated by analyzing model reactions.

Yasuomi Yamazaki

A Durable Photocatalytic System Utilizing Two Kinds of Immiscible Solvents and Photosensitizing Cycles Involving Spontaneous Interlayer Movements

Researcher

Yasuomi Yamazaki

Outline

In this project, in order to improve the durability of photocatalytic systems consisting of metal complexes, we have aimed to divide the reaction fields into two parts, i.e., a reaction field for the redox-photosensitizing reaction (photoreaction field) and that for the electrochemical reduction of CO2 (dark-reaction field), by using a mixture of two kinds of immiscible solvents. In this system, one-electron-reduced species of photosensitizers, which are produced in an aqueous layer as a photoreaction field through the reductive quenching processes, will spontaneously move to the dark-reaction field owing to lower solubility to the aqueous layer associated with the loss of hydrophilic counter-anions. The photosensitizing cycle involving the interlayer movement will suppress the photo-decomposition of the reaction intermediates.