Akutagawa Lab

AboutAbout the lab

Removing the boundary between organic and inorganic to create multifunctional materials.

The Akutagawa Lab focuses on the design freedom of organic molecules and studies how to give molecular assemblies multiple functions.
Using organic synthesis, coordination chemistry, and physical chemistry, the lab designs molecular materials from the viewpoints of electrical conductivity, magnetism, ferroelectricity, and ferroelasticity.
The lab works on creating hybrid materials that remove the boundary between organic and inorganic materials.
The lab also puts particular effort into creating functional nanofibers that conduct electricity or emit light.

ResearchResearch themes

Starting from organic synthesis, the lab designs molecules aimed at producing specific functions, and carefully evaluates the structures and physical properties of the molecules it makes. Its research targets a variety of molecular assemblies, including single crystals, plastic crystals, liquid crystals, gels, Langmuir-Blodgett films, and micelles.

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New Organic Ferroelectrics↗

Organic materials that contain no heavy atoms such as lead are attracting attention for use in electronic materials and memory. Through organic synthesis, the lab creates materials that combine new organic ferroelectrics showing memory effects with functions such as optical properties and conductivity, and carries out basic research with next-generation memory devices that respond to electric fields and light in view.

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Multi-Responsive Luminescent Sensor Materials↗

The lab studies ion sensor molecules that distinguish specific ions and change how they emit light. It is creating luminescent memory materials that retain a record of having sensed both cations and anions, as well as materials that change from a sol to a gel with a specific combination of ions.

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Artificial Molecular Motors↗

Adopting the principles of molecular motors, which convert energy efficiently in living organisms, the lab develops artificial molecular motors. By designing the motion of molecules inside molecular assemblies, it builds molecular motor (rotor) structures in which molecular rotation is coupled with properties such as ferroelectricity.

VoicesStudent voices

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Students who take part in an interview may receive a thank-you gift worth ¥1,000, regardless of what they say.