Research
Utilizing Water with Water-Containing Nanomaterials Designed by Water-Based Reactions
"Harnessing the Magic of Nano-Spaces: Discovering New Materials and Phenomena for a Sustainable Future!"
Our core mission is to manipulate the invisible world at the nano-scale to create materials that directly address environmental and energy challenges. We value the excitement of "crafting new materials with your own hands" and "discovering unprecedented phenomena." Focusing on natural clay minerals and precision-engineered mesoporous silica, we propose sustainable solutions to social issues while imagining and creating something truly "exciting."
At the center of it all is Water. Water is the source of life and the key to future possibilities. We walk with water to pave the way for a better future.
• By Water: Eco-friendly processes using water as a solvent.
• With Water: Designing flexible, biomimetic materials that contain water.
• For Water: Purifying water, controlling its movement, and enabling self-healing.
By communicating "How it works," "What it can do," and "What we aim for," we strive to be a bridge between academia and industry.
About research
Past & Future —Designing the Future of Functional Materials at the Nano-Scale—
The foundation of my research lies in utilizing "spaces" controlled at the atomic and molecular levels to unlock functions not found in nature. We have developed applications across diverse fields—including environment, energy, and medicine—using abundant natural resources and precision-engineered porous materials.
Moving forward, our goal is to further deepen our expertise in synthesis and hybridization to create innovative materials with unknown functions. Together with motivated students, we aim to build "Nanoarchitectonics"—the structural design of the nano-world that no one has ever seen before.
Clay Minerals as Nature’s gift —The Infinite Potential of Natural Layered Structures—
Clay minerals are far more than just “dirt” nor “soil”. They are unique “layered compounds” composed of stacked sheets only nanometers thick. We focus on the tiny gaps (nano-spaces) between these layers to research functions for selectively capturing or releasing molecules. Once the nanospace (interlayer) is fully extended by swelling, “nanosheet” dispersion is obtained in solvents and in solid.
• Collect: Selective adsorption of pollutants using intercalation chemistry.
• Release: Controlled release of anti-corrosion agents, drugs and more exactly when needed.
• Color: Developing next-generation "functional pigments" by stabilizing dyes within the clay interlayers.
By leveraging the low cost and minimal environmental impact of natural clay, we aim to develop advanced materials for real-world industrial applications.
Mesoporous Materials Research —Advanced Materials via Precision-Engineered "Pores"—
Mesoporous silica is a nanomaterial characterized by highly ordered, uniformly shaped and sized pores (2–50 nm) and an extremely large surface area. The true thrill of this research is manipulating these "pores"—where just one gram of powder can have a surface area equivalent to several tennis courts.
We have created several nanomaterials for photofunctions by customizing pore size, shape, and surface chemistry. Furthermore, we utilize these pores as "templates" for the precision design of nanoparticles, exploring new materials, phenomena, and applications.
Coating —Unexpected Functions from Precision-Designed Nano-Films—
Using sol-gel methods and techniques as well as by the hybridization of layered compounds with polymers, we achieve high-performance coatings with a low environmental footprint.
By rearranging materials born from water in nature—using water as the medium—we can place nano-structures exactly where they are needed. Materials designed this way, which incorporate water into their structure, exhibit fascinating properties such as self-healing and moisture-dependent functional control. We are pursuing the new frontier of material design through the harmony of water and nanomaterials.
Affiliated researchers
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Principal Investigator (PI)
OGAWA MakotoProfessor (Special Appointment)
