• Microwave processing is one of the attractive fields in recent materials processing. We perform various materials processing using non-equilibrium reaction field induced by microwave and/or ultrasonic irradiation. The topic contains powder metallurgy, nitride coatings, synthesis of new functional materials, fabrication of nanoparticles, etc. Recently we have developed a new TiN coating method using our microwave irradiation equipment operated at a frequency of 2.45 GHz. The method is simple but applicable to various substrates with complex shape. This method can be applied to various nitride coatings and will open a new coating technology in many fields of applications.

The major targets of TiN coatings are for cutting tools, ball bearings, dental implants, die and mold for stamping, and ornaments. The newly developed method makes it possible to perform nitride coatings within a short time using a standard microwave heating equipment. We hope to conduct collaborative research with a willing company for a practical application of these technology.

• Our goal is "bio-inspired engineering" to create new functions that exhibit functions beyond the nature systems by learning from their superior functions and incorporating them into creating materials and devices. For example, the development of surface treatment and adhesives learned from mussels, the development of anti-biofouling substrates learned from pitcher plants, the design of non-platinum catalysts for highly active fuel cells (hydrogen, enzymes, microbes, etc.) learned from hemoglobin, and needle-type biosensors learned from biological needles.

Based on electrochemistry and polymer chemistry, I provide technologies and expertise in the energy, biotechnology, and electrical and electronic fields, including metal-air batteries, fuel cells, surface treatment, adhesion, biosensors, etc.

• Fukuyama laboratory studies novel material processing based on chemical thermodynamics with high-temperature thermophysical property measurements. As examples, we are developing new crystal growth processes to bring a breakthrough in nitride-semiconductor devices, which are promising materials for next-generation optical devices applied in environmental, medical, bio and information technologies fields. Database of thermophysical properties of materials is needed for modeling heat and mass transports in materials processes.

A new thermophysical property measurement system is currently under development, which enables accurate measurements of heat capacity, thermal conductivity, emissivity, density and surface tension of high-temperature melts, utilizing electromagnetic levitation in a dc magnetic field.

• One of our major research focuses is to design the novel drug nanoparticles, so called “Nano-prodrugs”, and to apply them as anticancer drugs or eye drops with excellent delivery efficiency. Nano-prodrugs are constructed by synthetic prodrugs molecules which contains poorly water-soluble substituent. They could be fabricated to nanoparticles with 100 nm or less in size by our reprecipitation technique, which has been used to create organic nanomaterials. We are aiming at practical application of our Nano-prodrugs in the near future.

Our reprecipitation technique for fabricating organic nanomaterials is a versatile technique that can be applied to various organic molecules as well as drug compounds. We hope to conduct collaborative research with a willing company on controlling and evaluating properties of the organic nanoparticles.

• Our focus is on the development of solid-state-ionics materials to be used for a variety of energy conversion systems. To further improve the performance of fuel cells and lithium batteries, novel ionic conductors and mixed conductors with high ionic conductivity and chemical stability are highly demanded. We have been developing such the materials based on defect chemistry and thermodynamics of ceramics, and trying to apply those materials to actual energy conversion devices.

To date, a hydrogen production system utilizing oxygen permeable membranes and an all-solid-state battery have been prepared.

• The research is being focused on measurement of surface forms of precision workpieces and stage motions of precision machines, which are important items for ultra-precision manufacturing and nanomanufacturing. Optical sensors are being developed for measurement of angle and displacement, which are fundamental quantities for manufacturing. Technologies for improvement of the sensor sensitivity and bandwidth, reduction of the sensor size as well as new multi-axis sensing methods are being The research is being focused on measurement of surface forms of precision workpieces and stage motions of precision machines. Optical sensors are being developed for measurement of angle and displacement. A number of scanning-type measuring systems for precision measurement of surface forms and stage motions are also being developed. Error separation algorithms and systems for straightness and roundness, which are the most fundamental geometries treated in ultra-precision manufacturing, are being investigated. Novel systems based on scanning probe microscopy are under development for micro- and nano-structures as well as freeform optics in responding to new and important challenges from ultra-precision manufacturing and nanomanufacturing.

The multi-axis optical displacement and angle sensors developed in the laboratory are expected to measure motions of semiconductor/IC manufacturing and inspection equipment, precision machine tools, ultra-precision measuring instrument. The surface profile measurement systems are expected t play an important role in ultra-precision manufacturing and nanomanufacturing industries.

• Monoatomic layered materials of Graphene, Transition metal sulfide nanosheet, nanocrystalline active materials, nanoparticles and nanoporous materials are investigated for realizing high capacity, high power, high safety and low cost energy storage devices as a post- Lithium ion battery. Advanced chemistry of functional materials and device processes for All solid state battery, Magnesium battery, fuel cells, supercapacitor and wearable batteries are investigated.

Academia – Industry collaboration with manufacturing companies of functional materials, batteries, and also smart grid, renewable energy, electrical power companies are encouraged for developments of advanced energy materials and post-Lithium ion battery.

• We developed both pH and Cl- imaging plates, which can visualize the pH and Cl- concentration on metal surfaces in acidic environments. The pH range is from 3.0 to 0.5, and Cl- concentration up to 4 M can be measured. Fluorescent dyes are successively used for pH and Cl- imaging in the field of biology, but their sensitivity tends to be insufficient in acidic and/or highly concentrated chloride solutions. A glass plate with a sol-gel sensing layer, which contains a pH indicator or a Cl- sensitive florescent dye was fabricated and validated using the solutions with various pH values and Cl- concentrations. Changes in the pH and Cl- distribution on stainless surface in an acidic environment were measured quantitatively.

The newly developed imaging plates can be used to investigate the mechanism of various chemical reactions, such as corrosion, which occurs in an acidic environment. Micro-flow imaging using our sensing technique will be a promising approach to understand the catalytic chemistry of metal surfaces.
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