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Molecular Materials Chemistry Lab
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The lab creates metal complexes that respond to light and heat and controls properties such as magnetism.
AboutAbout the lab
Creating new materials whose properties switch with light.
The Molecular Materials Chemistry Lab (Sato Lab) studies metal complexes that respond to external stimuli such as light and heat.
Its work centers on developing new materials whose magnetism can be switched by stimuli such as light and electricity, including the discovery of a material that becomes a magnet when irradiated with light.
From synthesizing new molecules to evaluating their properties, the lab takes on a wide range of work with light as its keyword.
In the Department of Chemistry, School of Science, the lab is also introduced under the name 'Photofunctional Materials Chemistry Lab'.
Key terms
- Metal complex
- A compound formed when molecules or ions bind around a metal ion
- Prussian blue analogue
- A family of crystalline compounds in which metals such as iron and cobalt are linked by cyanide ions
- Light-induced spin crossover
- A phenomenon in which irradiation with light switches the spin state of the electrons of a metal ion
- Valence tautomerism
- A phenomenon in which electrons are exchanged between a metal and a ligand within a molecule, switching the charge state of the metal
ResearchResearch themes
The lab studies metal complexes that respond to external stimuli such as light and heat, and aims to develop new functional materials whose properties switch through light or electrochemical reactions. From synthesizing new molecules to evaluating their properties, it takes on a wide range of work with light as its keyword.
*Illustrative imageDynamic Magnets Whose Magnetism Changes with Light and Electricity
The lab develops new materials whose magnetism can be controlled by electrical, optical, and chemical stimuli. It found that an iron-cobalt complex, a type of Prussian blue analogue, becomes a magnet when irradiated with light at low temperature.
*Illustrative imageMononuclear Metal Complexes That Change with Light
The lab has found that light-induced spin crossover also occurs in iron(III) complexes. In cobalt valence tautomeric complexes, it has been shown that irradiation with light causes electrons to transfer between the ligand and the metal, and that this state is maintained for a long time at low temperature.
*Illustrative imageMolecular Crystals with Switchable Polarization
The lab designs and synthesizes molecular crystals whose electronic structure lies at the boundary between different stable states, aiming to switch their state with stimuli. In crystals that show valence tautomerism, changes in polarization arising from intramolecular electron transfer have been observed.
MembersFaculty
The members of the Molecular Materials Chemistry Lab (Sato Lab) are faculty members, visiting researchers, doctoral and master's students, and secretaries.As of 2026
- ProfessorOsamu Sato
- Assistant ProfessorShinji Kanegawa
- Assistant ProfessorShuqi Wu
- Assistant ProfessorMasaki Donoshita
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Report an errorAbout the images
The top and research theme images are illustrative and were not taken at the lab. They are cropped from Wikimedia Commons images. Cropped CC BY-SA images are provided under the same CC BY-SA license as the original (version shown on each line).
- Top image: “Scandium-triflate-hydrate-xtal-293K-Sc-coordination-3D-balls” Ben Mills / Public domain (cropped)
- Dynamic Magnets Whose Magnetism Changes with Light and Electricity: “Lodestone (Magnet Cove Complex, mid-Cretaceous, 96-102 Ma; Magnet Cove, Arkansas, USA) 4” James St. John / CC BY 2.0 (cropped)
- Mononuclear Metal Complexes That Change with Light: “Photoluminescent rhodium coordination complex crystals under UV light” RhAgchem / CC BY-SA 4.0 (cropped)
- Molecular Crystals with Switchable Polarization: “Gamma-ga2o3-crystal structure” MetallicMelvin92 / CC BY-SA 4.0 (cropped)
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- Related lab (Reaction and Property Theory Lab): “Comparison of classical vs murburn enzyme mechanism” Annvinod / CC BY-SA 4.0 (cropped)
- Related lab (Nano-Interface Physical Properties Lab): “Nanočástice Au biosenzory. Změna optických vlastností nanočástic zlata v závislosti na velikosti částice” ZuzanaBrabcova / CC BY-SA 4.0 (cropped)
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