• 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.

• Nanoporous metals have drawn considerable attention due to their highly functional properties. They are generally produced by selective dissolution of elements from a multicomponent alloy (known as the dealloying method). As this method is based on differences in the electrode potential of each element present in the alloy, and this potential is high for noble metals, porous structure can be obtained only for noble metals. Recently we have found a new, simple and easy dealloying method without using aqueous solution, which enable us to develop an open nanoporous non-oxidized metallic material even with base metals (such as Ti, Ni, Cr, Fe, Mo, etc), metalloids and their alloys.

This technique is very powerful for developing new functional electrodes, catalysts, filters as well for removing toxic metallic element from the surface of biomaterials containing the toxic element.

• Most innovations have been triggered by advent of new materials. We focus on to explore new inorganic materials and their synthesis routes on the basis of our knowledge about the material design and various materials processing technologies. We develop proton conducting phosphate glasses working at intermediate temperatures and narrow gap oxide semiconductors applicable in visible and NIR regions. Thin-film solar cells, fuel cells using those materials are also developing.

We focus on oxide semiconductors and proton conducting electrolytes and electrodes in order to apply them in solar cells, fuel cells, light-emitting devices. But, applicable area of our technologies is not limited in those applications.

• We are developing a non-destructive testing method for the long range rapid inspection of metallic pipe using microwaves. The method propagates a microwave inside a pipe, and evaluates flaws appearing at the inner surface of the pipe on the basis of the reflection and transmission of the microwave. The method does not require scanning probes unlike conventional non-destructive methods, which enables one to inspect a pipe quite quickly. Our experimental validations have demonstrated the effectiveness of the method using a pipe as long as 30 m.

The NDT method proposed here is applicable when many pipes are inspected or conventional methods are not available due to pipe length and its configuration.

• We are developing a non-destructive testing method for the long range rapid inspection of metallic pipe using microwaves. The method propagates a microwave inside a pipe, and evaluates flaws appearing at the inner surface of the pipe on the basis of the reflection and transmission of the microwave. The method does not require scanning probes unlike conventional non-destructive methods, which enables one to inspect a pipe quite quickly. Our experimental validations have demonstrated the effectiveness of the method using a pipe as long as 30 m.

The NDT method proposed here is applicable when many pipes are inspected or conventional methods are not available due to pipe length and its configuration.

• One of the important challenges in the development of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) reinforced ceramic composites is uniform dispersion of CNTs in the matrix. The mechanical properties of CNT/ceramics composites have been limited to date due to the formation of CNT agglomerates in the composite. We have successfully produced CNT/alumina composites with world top class strength and toughness, by employing a newly developed CNTs dispersion technique based on a flocculation method. The processing method developed in this study enables us to prepare high performance CNT materials using a pressureless sintering method.

The possible applications of the CNT/alumina composites developed in this study include tribological materials (ball bearing), biomaterials (artificial hip joint), micro-actuator materials utilizing electrostrictive effects, electromagnetic wave absorber, particularly in the frequency range of several GHz and several ten GHz.

• The main research subjects in this group are the experimental investigations of the organic molecular conductors. The characteristic properties of the organic materials are multiple flexibilities owing to the assemble structure of nanometer-size molecules. This flexbility comes up recently for developing the organic electronic devices. We explore the fundamental electronic properties of the organic molecular materials which have wide range of the ground states from superconductivity to insulating states resulting from the strongly correlated electrons in the molecular pi-orbital. Such features are closely connected to flexible and multiple degrees of freedom in charge, spin, molecular latticeand molecules themselves. We are actively studying on the interesting and important issues in the condensed matter physics from the viewpoints of the characteristic flexbility of the organic molecular materials. We are prepared to provide academic consultations to companies interested in our research.

• Our lab develops accurate nanometer scale characterization methods of crystal structures by convergent-beam electron diffraction (<strong>CBED</strong>) and electronic structures by electron energy-loss spectroscopy (EELS) and soft-X-ray emission spectroscopy (<strong>SXES</strong>) for evaluating new functional materials. For performing crystal structure studies, we developed a new Ω-filter electron microscope and a refinement soft-ware, which can perform not only atom positions but also electrostatic potential and charge distributions. For electronic structure studies, a high-resolution EELS microscope and SXES instruments were developed.

Collaborated research of Local structures (symmetry, polarity, lattice defects) by CBED and electronic structures (bandgap, dielectric property and chemical state) by EELS and SXES on semiconductors, metals and dielectric materials are acceptable. Instructions of those analysis methods are also acceptable.

We have developed a technique for quantitative analysis of microstructures (e.g., dislocations and irradiation defect aggregates) of activated and nuclear-burned specimens in the context of the Week Beam Scanning Transmission Electron Microscope (WB-STEM) method, which boasts extremely high measurement accuracy as a quantitative analysis method for lattice defects.
In combination with a dedicated heated sample holder with fully automated temperature measurement and current control in a cartridge-type heating furnace, changes in dislocation microstructure can be dynamically measured in-situ along with a highly reliable temperature history.

Conventional TEM methods require expertise in reciprocal space and dislocation theory, but our WB-STEM method is equipped with automatic analysis software for film thickness measurement and dislocation loop feature extraction, making it possible to analyze irradiation defects easily and precisely.

• Since its design, the WB-STEM method has been developed for implementation and on-site repair in radiation controlled areas where nuclear materials are handled, with special aperture and diffraction disc selection equipment, control and analysis software.
• WB-STEM accepts irradiation defect analysis of activated specimens from all over the world, including RPV monitoring specimens from European reactors and neutron-irradiated materials from US research reactors.
• It is also used to analyze the properties of iron-containing nuclear fuel simulated debris in decommissioning projects.

We support research organizations that currently use transmission electron microscopy to observe microstructures to introduce the WB-STEM method by special modification. We will instruct researchers who have no experience using transmission electron microscopy in the procedure for dislocation analysis.

• A new dry-contact technique for transduction of broadband, high-frequency ultrasound via a solid layer inserted between water and the sample, whereat the pressure of about 0.1 MPa is applied at the layer/sample interface by evacuating air between them, has been developed. Based on the technique, acoustic imaging of an electronic package is realized under the dry environment (Fig. 1). Typically, the polymer films are used as the intermediate layer for water protection of the sample, and by utilizing the acoustic resonance phenomenon among water, film and the sample, higher quality acoustic image of the testing sample than that for the water immersion case can be recorded without getting the sample wet (Fig. 2). Moreover, thin materials, e.g., polymer film (Fig. 3), etc. can be characterized by analyzing the acoustic resonance phenomenon among the three media. We hope to conduct collaborative research with a willing company for a practical application of this technology in industry.

• This group is engaged in basic and applied researches of "hydrides" for practical use in hydrogen energy system. The main subject is the exploration of advanced hydrogen storage materials which support hydrogen energy technologies such as fuel cells. Currently, we synthesize a wide variety of novel hydrides composed of lightweight metals with specific nano-structures using advanced techniques for crystal and electronic structure analyses. In addition to the hydrogen storage, we develop the wide research fields related to hydrides, such as fast lithium ionic conductors.

Besides the contributions in industrial progress through the material development for future hydrogen energy system and next-generation secondary battery, we positively provide technical assistance to organizations and companies concerned about our findings.