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Yamaguchi Lab
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The lab designs catalysts at the molecular level to open up environmentally friendly chemical reactions.
AboutAbout the lab
Harnessing the magic of catalysts to pursue the ultimate in molecular transformation
The Yamaguchi Lab conducts research on precisely designing and developing catalysts, which make chemical reactions proceed efficiently, at the molecular level.
Solving problems of the environment, resources, and energy requires catalysts that raise the efficiency of manufacturing and energy conversion.
The lab clarifies how the catalysts it creates work, and opens up new chemical reactions for environmentally friendly manufacturing.
The lab also works on developing materials for next-generation rechargeable batteries.
Key terms
- Catalyst
- A substance that speeds up a chemical reaction, or causes only the desired reaction to occur, without itself being changed
- Solid catalyst
- A catalyst that is a solid and does not dissolve in the liquids or gases that react (also called a heterogeneous catalyst). It is easy to recover after the reaction and reuse
- Biomass
- Resources derived from living organisms, such as trees and grasses. It can be used as a raw material for fuels and chemicals
NewsLab news
A doctoral student received the Outstanding Oral Presentation Award at the Summer Workshop of the Young Researchers' Group of the Catalysis Society of Japan
A master's student received the Excellence Award at the JPIJS Poster Session of the Japan Petroleum Institute
A doctoral student received the Student Presentation Award at the Annual Spring Meeting of the Chemical Society of Japan
Associate Professor Kobayashi received the Young Scientists' Prize in the Commendation for Science and Technology by the Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology
ResearchResearch themes
To address environmental and energy challenges, the lab develops precisely designed catalyst materials and battery materials. By understanding from the fundamentals how molecules are activated on catalyst surfaces, how reactions proceed, and how energy is stored, the lab takes on environmentally friendly organic synthesis, fuel synthesis from underutilized biomass, and the creation of next-generation energy storage devices.
*Illustrative imageNew Reactions Unique to Solid Catalysts
Using original nanostructured catalysts, such as nano-oxides, nano-hydroxides, and metal nanoparticles including alloys, the lab develops new, environmentally friendly organic synthesis reactions, including reactions that use oxygen in air as the oxidant.
*Illustrative imageGreen Chemical Production
This research aims to efficiently produce chemicals with catalysts from natural carbon resources such as methane and biomass. In a project of the Fukushima Institute for Research, Education and Innovation (F-REI), the lab is developing catalysts that produce fuel from biomass-derived gas.
*Illustrative imageNext-Generation Battery Materials
Aiming for next-generation batteries that do not rely on rare metals, the lab develops oxide cathode materials using iron and manganese, as well as cathode materials for batteries that use magnesium, zinc, or similar metals for the anode.
MembersFaculty
The members of the Yamaguchi Lab consist of faculty, researchers, secretaries, and doctoral, master's, and undergraduate students.As of 2026
- ProfessorKazuya YamaguchiPublications ↗
- Associate ProfessorHiroaki KobayashiPublications ↗
- LecturerTakafumi YatabePublications ↗
- Assistant ProfessorKeiju WachiPublications ↗
VoicesStudent voices
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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: “Manganese-dioxide-sample” Benjah-bmm27 / Public domain (cropped)
- New Reactions Unique to Solid Catalysts: “Изображение наночастиц золота полученное с помощью ПЭМ” Anna-Versh / CC BY 4.0 (cropped)
- Green Chemical Production: “Pile of wood chips Namibia” Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) - Bush Control and Biomass Utilisation Project / CC BY-SA 4.0 (cropped)
- Next-Generation Battery Materials: “Cathode Coating Materials” Jared Sagoff / Public domain (cropped)
- Related lab (西林研究室): “Deutsches Chemie-Museum Merseburg, Ammoniak-Synthesekammer (2014)” Reinhard Ferdinand / CC0 (cropped)
- Related lab (鈴木・山下研究室): “Alfa-Keggin” Quimiprof / CC BY-SA 4.0 (cropped)
- Related lab (砂田研究室): “(Cp'3Sm)2(bpy) crystals” Brian N. Long, María J. Beltrán-Leíva, Joseph M. Sperling, Todd N. Poe, Cristian Celis-Barros & Thomas E. Albrecht-Schönzart / CC BY 4.0 (cropped)
- Related lab (立間研究室): “Rheinisches Landesmuseum Bonn Goldrubingefässe Ehrenfeld 01” Geolina163 / CC BY-SA 4.0 (cropped)
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