• We found an effective catalyst system composed of CeO2 and 2-cyanopyridine for direct and catalytic polycarbonate formation reaction from CO2 and diols. CeO2 acted as an activator for CO2 and diols, and 2-cyanopyridine shifted the equilibrium in favor of the product side by hydration of 2-cyanopyridine, promoting the reaction. Green polycarbonates can be synthesized by combination of the catalyst system with a technique of diol syntheses from biomass.

This catalyst system is effective for direct transformation of CO2, contributing to the effective utilization and emission reduction of CO2. Combination of the catalyst system with a concentration technique of CO2 will bring about much advantage.

• Our research aims at developing methods, including instrumentation, for characterizing surface (or interface) at the nano-meter level. Most of our research subjects are related to the surface forces measurement, which can directly monitor the interaction between two surfaces. We study phenomena occurring at the solid-liquid interface such as adsorption and structuring of liquids. We have developed the resonance shear measurement which is a sensitive method for evaluating properties of confined liquid for nano-rheology and tribology. Twin-path surface forces apparatus we developed enabled us to study wide variety of samples such as metals, ceramics and plastics.

These methods are applicable for characterizing lubricants, nano-materials, paints, sealants, and cosmetics. We hope to conduct collaborative research with a willing company for a practical application of this technology in industry.

• Flexible liquid crystal displays using thin plastic film substrates instead of glass substrates contained in current liquid crystal displays, are bendable, thin, lightweight, and do not crack, and generate new usage styles and human interfaces due to their excellent storability and portability. We have been researching the basic technologies for large-screen and high-quality flexible displays using functional organic materials including liquid crystal and polymer, so that anyone can enjoy fertile information services.

We hope to conduct collaborative research with a willing company in industry, for development and practical application of the advanced flexible display technologies.

• 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.

• 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.

• Nakagawa group has dedicated to pursue scientific principles for molecular control of interface function occurring at polymer/other material interfaces and to put them into practice in nanoimprint lithography promising as a next generation nanofabrication tool. We are developing advanced photo-functional materials such as sticking molecular layers for "fix by light", UV-curable resins and antisticking molecular layers for "preparation by light", fluorescent resist materials for "inspection by light", and hybrid optical materials "available to light" and new research tools such as mechanical measurement systems to evaluate release property of UV-curable resins.

Our research aims at creating new devices to control photon, electron, and magnetism.

• SiC ceramics is generally prepared at high temperature of 1200–2000ºC. We are able to prepare SiC at around 700ºC by using Na. Nano-powder of beta-type SiC was obtained from a mixture of Si and carbon powders in a Na melt. SiC porous ceramics were synthesized by heating mixtures of Si powder and carbon black at 700–900ºC in Na vapor. Biomorphic cellular SiC ceramics were formed by heating carbonized woods at 700 ºC with a Na-Si melt.

Applications : SiC porous ceramics are used in a wide range of applications, such as filters for gas or molten metal, diesel particle filters, catalysis supports, and light-weight structural materials.
Industry : Ceramic Engineering

• It is well known that nano-scale impurity/solute clusters, defects, defect clusters and their complexes affect the mechanical and electrical properties in materials. However, it is very difficult to observe these objects even by state-of-the-art electron microscopes. We overcome the difficulty by employing noble two techniques: laser three-dimensional atom probe (3D-AP) technique and positron annihilation spectroscopy (PAS). Laser 3D-AP can map out each atom in various materials (metals, semiconductors, insulators) in three-dimensional real space with nearly atomic scale resolution. PAS can detect vacancy-type defects and defect-impurity complexes very sensitively.

By combining these methods, we are going to reveal the functions of the fine impurity clusters and defects to the materials: developments of new nano-structured materials, the mechanism of degradation of aged structural materials, the fall in the yield of semiconductor device production, and developments of quantum devices etc.

• 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.

• 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.

• We have been developing methods for explicating the dominant factors that determine the physical and chemical properties of materials and stacked structures used in human societies. Since the number of element atoms which consists of advanced materials has been increasing, and the crystallographic structure of the materials has become very complicated, both the various properties and reliability of the materials fluctuate significantly in nano-scale, and thus, deteriorate easily due to the local damages of the materials.

To design the optimal structure, composition of materials, and the fabrication process of both materials and stacked structures, we are going to develop a method of analyzing the atomic structure of thin film materials based on quantum mechanics and experimental methods for measuring material properties, atomic scale damage or defects in nano-materials.