Miho Aizawa

Development of controllable material interfaces featuring stimulus-responsive chemical bond change

Researcher

Miho Aizawa

Outline

Dismantlable adhesion technology is an effective system to promote recycling of multi-component products. In this research, I newly focus on chemical bonds at adhesion interface to develop a novel dismantling system that enables efficient and reliable control of adhesion state. The material interface is controlled by using a stimuli-responsive molecule that changes the chemical bond by heat or light irradiation. Utilizing this technology, I will propose a detecting method of an interface state to prove strong adhesion and demonstrate a dismantling system applied to practical materials. This project aims to construct a novel dismantlable technology from adhesion interface that achieve both the contradictory functions of strong adhesion and easy dismantling.

Keiichi Imato

Development of Photoreversible Adhesives Based on Thermally Stable Molecular Switches

Researcher

Keiichi Imato

Outline

Adhesives that can strongly stick materials in use but easily detach them after use by external stimuli enable their recycle and reuse as multi-materials are increasingly important in various fields. I will develop polymeric adhesives that can photoreversibly control adhesion and detachment, using new molecular switches showing high thermal stability and large motion. I will realize reversible significant changes in the adhesive strength by the synergy of photoreversible conversions between solid and liquid and between formation and dissociation of hydrogen bonding.

Kenta Iyoki

Synthesis of Recyclable Porous Materials from Recyclable Raw Materials

Researcher

Kenta Iyoki

Outline

Zeolites, inorganic porous materials, are key materials for solving environmental and energy problems, for example, adsorption and decomposition of greenhouse gases and pollutants, and material synthesis using biomass. However, a sustainable synthesis process for zeolite itself has not yet been established. In this research, I will challenge the control of the atomic-level arrangement for the design of frameworks that can be freely decomposed and combined, as well as the recycling of expensive raw materials for practical use.

Hirotaka Ejima

Molecular design and experimental verification of degradable bonds inspired by microbial iron transport

Researcher

Hirotaka Ejima

Outline

Enterobactin, a polyphenolic iron chelator secreted by bacteria such as Escherichia coli and Salmonella spp., captures (ON) and releases (OFF) iron ions in response to iron reduction. Inspired by the chemical structure of enterobactin, I will design degradable bonds based on iron-phenolic coordination bonds. By incorporating these bonds into biobased films made from plant-derived polyphenols, I will experimentally verify whether these bonds can degrade underwater.

Ryoma Kitagaki

New recycling techniques for urethane foam using selective interfacial bonding mechanisms

Researcher

Ryoma Kitagaki

Outline

Bonding mechanisms among cell membranes of polyurethane foam would be studied for the establishment of new recycling process, through investigating the bridging reaction between isocyanate emulsion supplied from outside and alcohol produced in degradation of the foams under autoclave environment. Recycling and reproducing techniques for urethane foams which have equivalent performance with original foams would be developed based on the bonding mechanisms applied to optimal-packed shredded urethane foams studied with μX-ray CT.

Kousuke Tsuchiya

Orthogonal control of synthesis/degradation of polyamides mediated by enzymes

Researcher

Kousuke Tsuchiya

Outline

Enzymatic reaction, due to substrate specificity of enzymes, can control both synthesis and degradation of compounds in regio- and stereoselective manner. This project aims to develop chemoenzymatic reactions which independently control the synthesis and degradation of polyamides. The chemoenzymatic reaction system will be achieved by a combination of appropriate enzymes and optimized chemical structures of monomers, leading to orthogonal control of synthesis/degradation of polyamides. This project will be able to develop novel functional polyamides with both material stability and on-demand degradability.

Kazuki Fukushima

Development of Aliphatic Condensation Polymers with High Thermal/Mechanical Properties and On-Demand Degradability

Researcher

Kazuki Fukushima

Outline

Granting high thermal and mechanical properties and control over the rate and timing of degradation of polymer main chain will be enabled by introducing various types of side-chain structures to aliphatic polyesters and polycarbonates as a basic platform that exhibits potential hydrolyzability. This project aims to develop tough polymeric materials that can be degraded on demand and challenges a breakthrough in the trade-off between degradation and material lifetime, which existing degradable polymers have faced.

Hiroshi Masai

Development of photo-degradation of photo-stable materials by concerted reactivity with acidic additive

Researcher

Hiroshi Masai

Outline

This research enables photo-degradation of photo-stable materials by a concerted reactivity between light and chemical additives. Stimuli-responsive units bearing photo-reactivity with acidic additive are developed and are incorporated into polymer materials, which would provide a new class of photo-degradable materials which could be utilized even under natural light. The new technology would be generalized and advanced through diversifying the reactive units, the additional stimuli, and the functionalization based on photo-microfabrication.

Yasunori Minami

Precise Depolymerization of High-performance Polymers Based on Activity Control of Stable Main Chain Structures

Researcher

Yasunori Minami

Outline

The present study aims at invention of precise depolymerization of super-engineering plastics based on a concept, activity control of stable main chain structure. This concept is to develop degradability in the monomer units which allows us to selective cleave the polymer main chains of the polymers to form monomers. The further conversion of synthesized monomers into polymers and functional molecules are conducted. In this way, a breakthrough will be made in the chemical recycling of high-functional and -stable plastics, which are much difficult with conventional methods.

Satoshi Wakai

Phase controlled degradation of metal material based on microbiology and electrochemistry

Researcher

Satoshi Wakai

Outline

This project focus on microbiologically influenced corrosion (MIC) and electrochemical degradation of stainless steel. The goal of this research is understanding the mechanism of phase-selective dissolution by microorganisms. The MIC is serious issue for damages of infrastructure, huge corrosion cost, and secondary environmental pollutions by oil and harsh chemicals. To construct sustainable society, preservation of infrastructures and saving the corrosion cost are required. I already established an potential-monitoring cultivation system using stainless steel-electrode, and I will reveal the mechanism of MIC using this system in this study. The understand of the corrosion mechanism would contribute to developing corrosion diagnosis, anti-corrosion, and metal-recovering technologies.