Division of Applied Chemistry and Biotechnology
Overview
Educational Policy
Development of science and technology today is backed by new materials and their use in various fields. The educational program of this division focuses on systematic understanding of the basic principles of materials and chemical processes to produce them. In the Master’s program, the fundamentals of materials and their transformation are taught through lectures and laboratory work. The relationship among the structures, properties, and functions of materials are emphasized. Work ethics and importance of returning the research results to the society are also taught. In the Doctor’s program, students are trained to become independent researchers who can solve difficult problems with flexibility through deep understanding of materials.
Applied Chemistry and Biotechnology Course
Learning applied chemistry to live in harmony with the earth; the key words are 'environment' and 'bio'
The aim of this course is to promote understanding of materials and chemistry behind them and to train students to become experts on development of new materials and processes by fresh concepts and techniques. A sustainable society in the 21st century requires development of environmentally benign materials. Chemical processes to produce them need to be benign to the environment as well. Extraction of the functions that living things have from the chemical standpoint and to develop materials and processes which imitate or utilize them is an important direction to follow in chemistry. Accordingly, the course consists of four areas of education and research, i.e., ‘bio-functional chemistry’, ‘sustainable organic chemistry’, ‘inorganic and analytical chemistry’, and ‘chemistry for efficient conversion of natural resources’. Highly specialized education is given in each area and, with the cooperation of other areas, students are expected to acquire wide viewpoints.
Brief description of each area is as follows.
Bio-functional Chemistry
Biological functions are based on elaborate interactions among biomolecules. We investigate these interactions, from physicochemical and structural viewpoints, to extract the novel design principles for material synthesis and process development. Our research includes DNA- and enzyme-immobilized materials, microreactors and nano/ microparticles for analytical applications, biodegradable polymers, biomimetic conductors, magnetic polymers, and genetic engineering of proteins and biosynthetic pathways.
Sustainable Organic Chemistry
This subdivision covers the development of environmentally benign and efficient organic synthetic methodology and the design and synthesis of novel organic functional materials. The following topics are to be lectured and studied. 1) synthetic methodology of bioactive compounds for pharmaceuticals and agrichemicals, 2) organic synthetic processes utilizing characteristic properties of heteroatoms (nitrogen, sulfur, fluorine, etc.) and transition-metal catalysts for organic synthesis, 3) synthetic and mechanistic organic photochemistry, 4) self-assembling of organic molecules and supramolecular chemistry, 5) advanced organic functional materials such as organic electroluminescent, liquid crystalline, and photochromic materials.
Inorganic and Analytical Chemistry
The prime focus of our research centers around the preparation, processing, and property evaluation of a diverse array of high performance and environmentally friendly inorganic materials. We work on the development of less toxic alternative materials as well as the recycling of resources and energy to minimize pollution. Also, this group develops atomic and/or molecular-leveled chemical analytical techniques to investigate the properties of various novel microstructures and heterogeneous interfaces.
Chemistry for Efficient Conversion of Natural Resources
TOur goal is to develop highly efficient and environmentally benign chemical processes for the effective utilization of biomass, solar energy, and fossil resources by the following methods: the creation of novel reaction sites with structurally controlled hetero-interfaces at a molecular and atomic level, which enables highly effective energy conversion, and the development of highly efficient and selective catalysts controlled at a nano-structural level. In particular, 1) structurally refined synthesis of inorganic/organic hybrid catalysts for molecular recognition reactions, 2) creation of novel nano-surfaces controlled at molecular level and in situ dynamic structural analysis, 3) development of novel catalytic processes for the useful material manufacturing from plant origin resources, 4) determination of the real structures of well-defined surfaces and nano-particles in atomic scale, and development of electrocatalysts with ultra high efficiency for energy conversion.
Students, completing the program, get positions in chemical, energy-related, medical, and food industries as research chemists or engineers. There are also positions in electric, electronic, mechanic, and information industries. Teaching positions are also available.
Teacher organization
Teacher organization of Division of Applied Chemistry and Biotechnology
Academic Research Area:Bio-Functional Chemistry
- Professor: Kyoichi Saito
- High-speed protein purification, bioreactors, bioaffinity reaction on porous adsorbents, radiation graft polymerization, polymer brush
- Professor: Minoru Seki
- Bioprocess engineering, chemical reaction engineering, micro/nanofluidics, microreactors, biochips, microTAS, microfabrication, bioreactors, biocatalysts, cell culture and separation
- Visiting Professor: Keiji Sakaki
- Biochemical engineering, separation engineering, biorefinery
- Associate Professor: Yuji Sasanuma
- Macromolecular physicochemistry, statistical dynamics, quantum chemistry, NMR, structure and property correlations, molecular design, weak interactions
- Associate Professor: Masahito Kushida
- Molecular electronics, bioelectronics, surface science, metal nanoparticles, carbon nanotubes, near-field optics
- Associate Professor: Tatsuo Taniguchi
- Polymer chemistry, surface chemistry, colloidal polymer particles, photofunctional polymers, latex diagnosis
- Associate Professor: Daisuke Umeno
- Molecular evolutionary engineering, genetic mutation engineering, synthetic biology, metabolic engineering,
- Project Associate Professor: Masumi Yamada
- Microfluidics, microfabrication, biochemical engineering, biomaterial synthesis, bioseparation
- Assistant Professor: Michinari Kohri
- Glycotechnology, functional polymer, glycomaterial, enzymatic polymerization,
Description
Various biological functions such as enzymatic reaction, recognition, and separation are based on precise mechanisms of molecular interactions. In this research area, these molecular interactions are identified, and the correlation between functional emergence and molecular structure is investigated from both theoretical and experimental standpoints with the aim of creating materials and processes that substitute and exceed biological functions. These include: materials and reaction systems using DNA and enzymes as one of their components, new diagnostic and analytical tools using particles, creation of biodegradable macromolecular materials, photoconductive/magnetic materials with biological-like functions, and recreation of functional biomolecules using genetic engineering.
Academic Research Area：Sustainable Organic Chemistry
- Professor: Tsutomu Fujita ◎
- Green chemistry, organic synthesis , optically active organic compounds, biologically active organic compounds
- Professor: Akihide Kitamura
- Photochemistry, optical function materials, energy conversion materials, electron transfer reactions, noninvasive measurements
- Professor: Shigeo Kohmoto
- Supramolecular chemistry, molecular recognition, soft materials, optical function materials
- Professor: Masami Sakamoto
- Organic synthesis, organic photochemistry, crystal engineering, asymmetric synthesis, heterocyclic chemistry, molecular recognition
- Professor: Takashi Karatsu
- Photochemistry, organic silicone chemistry, luminescent materials, organic electro-luminescence, photochromic materials
- Professor: Keiki Kishikawa
- Liquid crystals, soft materials, supramolecules, suprastructures, nanofunction materials
- Associate Professor: Motohiro Akazome
- Organic synthesis , supramolecular chemistry, functional materials, crystal engineering, molecular recognition
- Associate Professor: Takashi Mino
- Organic synthesis, organic metal chemistry, transition metal catalysts, sustainable organic chemistry, asymmetric synthesis, nanomolecular construction
- Associate Professor: Shoji Matsumoto
- Organic synthesis, functional materials, heteroatom chemistry, iodine chemistry, green chemistry
- Associate Professor: Shiki Yagai
- Self-organization, self-assembly, Supramolecular chemistry, functional dyes, photochemistry, nanomaterial, biomimetics
- Assistant Professor: Masahiro Takahashi
- π-conjugated macromolecules, electronic macromolecules, molecular magnetism, functional molecules, macromolecular synthesis, supramolecular chemistry
Description
Organic molecules support mankind in the form of numerous physiologically active substances and functional materials. This research area undertakes the development of highly functional materials and the establishment of new synthetic methodology that are both environmentally sustainable and highly efficient: 1) The development of new synthetic methods of bioactive compounds for pharmaceuticals and agrichemicals ; 2) The development of organic synthetic processes utilizing characteristic properties of heteroatoms (nitrogen, sulfur, iodine, etc.) and transition-metal catalysts for organic synthesis; 3) The elucidation of the dynamic behavior of photoexcited molecules; 4) The design of self-organizing molecular assemblies and supramolecular chemistry; 5) The development of highly energy-efficient photo-functional materials such as photochromic materials, liquid crystals, and organic EL.
Academic Research Area：Inorganic and Analytical Chemistry
- Professor: Kazuyuki Kakegawa △
- Environmentally sustainable ceramics materials, ash recycling, nano-organizational materials, amorphous use materials
- Professor: Yasuhiko Iwadate
- Liquid theory, amorphous materials science, structural analysis and control, high energy irradiation, development and modification of environmentally adaptable and highly functional materials
- Professor: Motoi Machida (Safety and Health Organization, Chiba University)
- Organic and heavy metal pollutants, aqueous solution, activated carbon, adsorption, surface chemistry, water environment
- Professor: Masanori Fujinami
- Analytical chemistry, instrumental analysis, surface science, radiation chemistry, positron annihilation spectroscopy, laser spectroscopy
- Visiting Professor: Koichi Chiba (National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology)
- Atomic spectroscopy, quantitative analysis for environmental samples, standard materials, reference materials
- Associate Professor: Shin Nishiyama
- Inorganic materials chemistry, oxide semiconductors, structural analysis of crystals and amorphous materials, negative thermal expansion
- Associate Professor: Naofumi Uekawa
- Materials chemistry, ceramics, nanoparticles, surface chemistry, electronic materials, soft solution processes
- Assistant Professor: Takashi Kojima
- Nanoparticles, ceramics composites, inorganic waste materials recycling
- Assistant Professor: Yoshimasa Amano
- Water environment, lakes, eutrophication, water blooms, growth mechanism, water purification, activated carbon, adsorption
- Assistant Professor: Tomonori Nomoto
- Molecular spectroscopy, vibrational spectroscopy, interfacial spectroscopy, Instrumental analysis, physical chemistry, photocatalyst, ultrafast laser spectroscopy
- Assistant Professor: Takahiro Ohkubo
- Nuclear magnetic resonance, computational chemistry, high temperature chemistry, amorphous material, short-range structure
Description
Process development and performance assessment are conducted for a wide variety of inorganic materials under the keywords of new functions, high performance, and environmental neutrality. In particular, the development of substitute materials with low toxicity that do not lead to pollution as well as research related to the recycling of resources and energy are conducted in terms of fundamental research and application. In analytical chemistry, we are very interested in the behavior of the molecules localized at the surface and the interface, and various analytical methods based on the laser spectroscopy have been developed. Further the positron microscopy has been installed in order to detect the open-volume type defects such as vacancies.
Academic Research Area：Chemistry for Efficient Conversion of Natural Resources
- Professor: Shogo Shimazu
- Catalysis, chemistry of metal complexes, green chemistry, nano-structured catalysts, molecular recognition, layered materials, chemical conversion of biomass, lignocellulose
- Professor: Satoshi Sato
- Catalytic process, dehydration of polyols, interconversion of resources derived from plants, porous solids
- Professor: Nagahiro Hoshi
- Surface electrochemistry, well-defined surfaces, shape-controlled nano-particles, fuel cells, surface spectroscopy, scanning probe microscopy,
- Associate Professor: Osamu Koga ◎
- Energy conversion, energy storage, carbon resources, carbon dioxide reduction, surface electrical chemistry, surface structure regulating electrodes
- Associate Professor: Toshiaki Sodesawa △
- Catalyst chemistry, environmental catalyst design, solid catalyst preparation, binary microporous bodies, chemical resources conversion process, C1 chemistry, chemical resources circulation
- Associate Professor: Nobuyuki Ichikuni
- Catalysis, surface science, X-ray absorption spectroscopy, photo catalysts, carbide catalysts, cluster chemistry
- Assistant Professor: Masashi Nakamura
- Fuel cells, surface electrochemistry, hydration structures, metal nanoparticles, functional electrodes, surface structure control
- Assistant Professor: Takayoshi Hara
- Catalysis, supported metal catalysts, environmentally benign materials conversion, inorganic crystal compounds, highly difficult oxidative reactions
- Assistant Professor: Yasuhiro Yamada
- Carbon materials, energy storage, thermal interface materials, phase transition materials, porous materials
Description
This research area aims to create active sites that promote efficient energy conversion by controlling surface structures in atomic and molecular scales. The area also studies material conversion processes and functional catalysts with high efficiency and selectivity for the efficient use of biomass, solar energy and fossil resources. 1) Precise synthesis of inorganic/organic nanocompounds and molecular recognition catalysts; 2) Dynamic characterization of novel nano-structured catalyst surface under reaction conditions; 3) New catalytic processes suitable for the creation of usable materials from plant resources; 4) Determination of structures of solid-liquid interfaces in atomic and molecular scales, and development of highly efficient electrocatalysts, such as single crystal electrodes and shape-controlled nano-particles.
Note:
△denotes faculty who will retire on March 31st, 2014.
〇denotes faculty who will retire on March 31st, 2013.
◎denotes faculty who will retire on March 31st, 2012.