The Modern Alchemist!? Polymer Materials by Molecular DesignStartAfter 1hAfter 24hPolyetherPhenolphthaleinDeveloping thin, lightweight wearable fuel cells to supply power to robots and power suits39Department of Chemistry and MaterialsDepartment of Chemistry and MaterialsOutlookforresearchOutlook for researchOutlook for students after graduationAlthoughpolymermaterials,e.g.fibers,plasticsandrubbersareessentialinourdailylife,theirwastecausessocialproblemsuchasmarinepollutionanddepletionofpetroleumresources.Prof.Kohsakainvestigatesthedevelopmentsofnewpolymermaterialsredesignedfromthestartingmoleculesinordertosolvetheseproblems.Forexample,hedevelopedanewpolymermaterialdegradableinaqueousmediatoenvironment‐friendlychemicals,whileasustainableplasticthatregeneratesthestartingmaterialswascreated.Healsoinnovatedanovelmethodtopreparepolyesterswithlowenergyconsumption.Sincepolymerchemistrysupportschemicalindustry,wehaveachancetodiscoveranewmaterialforpracticalapplication.Wealwaysenjoyexperimentsinpurechemistry,whileourgrouphasmanycollaborationswithinter‐/intra‐nationalcompaniesandresearchinstitutes.Weinnovateavarietyofnovelmaterialsfromplasticsforasustainablesocietywithintelligentmaterials.Outlook for students after graduationAllstudentscontinuetheirresearchandstudiesinmasterprogramofourgraduateschoolinordertobecomeresearchers/engineersinpolymerandorganicchemistry.Manystudentsthengotocompaniesinthechemicalindustry,whilesomestudentslearnmoreinourdoctoralprogram.AssociateProfessorYasuhiroKohsakaAssociateProfessorKohsakareceivedhisPh.D.inEngineeringfromTheTokyoInstituteofTechnologyin2011.HeworkedasanassistantprofessorinOsakaUniversity,beforestartinghiscurrentcarrieratShinshuUniversityin2015.Hewasselectedoneofthe30membersof‘EmergingInvestigators’intheworldfromPolymerChemistry(RSC).Apolymerpreparedfromaβ‐aminoacidderivativewasasolutionunderacidicconditionsandalowtemperature,butbecomeinsolubleathighertemperatures.Apolymerdegradableinaqueousmedia.Thedegradationreleasesphenolphthalein,astartingmaterialofthepolymerthatcanberecognizedasared‐coloredproductIampursuingresearchintofunctionalpolymermembranesandnanofibermaterialssuchasvaporizationmembranesformicrofuelcellsthatuseneatmethanolasfuel,self‐humidificationlayersforH2/O2fuelcells,carbonnano‐paperasnano‐porousgasdiffusionelectrodes,andnickelnano‐paperforalkalinefuelcellsusingthinelectrolytemembranes.Mylabisworkingtodevelopmaterialsthatwillmakepossiblemorecompactfuelcellsthatareboththinnerandlighter.Wearerfuelcellswouldhavenumerousapplications,includingaspowersuppliesforrobotsandpowersuits.Manygraduatesgoontocompletemaster'sprograms,afterwhichtheyusuallyfindemploymentatcompaniesinvolvedwithchemicalmaterials,organicelectronicmaterials,andelectronicdevices.AssociateProfessorToshikiKoyamaAssociateProfessorKoyamatookhiscurrentpositionin1998afterservingintheFacultyofTextileScienceandTechnologyatShinshuUniversityasanassistantprofessorandseniorassistantprofessor.Hisareaofresearchisphysicalchemistryrelatedtothedevelopmentoffunctionalpolymermaterialsanddevicesinspiredbythemovementofelectronsandionsinlivingorganisms.Thisflexiblefuelcellwithathicknessof4mmwasformedfromanarrayofsixcells.Wedevelopedthiscarbonnanoweb(CNW)electrodewithadiameterof150nm.Astudentusesanevaluationdevicetocheckthepower‐generatingpropertiesoffuelcellsbuiltwithmaterialsdeveloped
元のページ ../index.html#40