LAB LOGA page on LabLog, a review site (not the lab's official page)
Nakajima-Liang Lab
Machine-translated · View original
A lab that measures the structure and stiffness of polymers in the nano world.
AboutAbout the lab
Polymer stiffness, seen through nanoscale eyes.
The Nakajima-Liang Lab investigates the structure and properties of polymers at the nanoscale and connects them to the properties seen at visible scales.
The lab has developed methods that use the probe of an atomic force microscope to touch the sample surface directly and measure stiffness and adhesion strength at each location.
It makes visible where and how polymer nanomaterials such as rubber and plastics deform and break.
The lab values not taking what is written in textbooks at face value, and also pursues joint research with overseas research institutions and companies.
Key terms
- Atomic force microscope
- A microscope that traces a surface with a fine probe to examine extremely small irregularities and properties. Also called an AFM.
- Young's modulus
- A value that expresses how resistant a material is to stretching, that is, its degree of stiffness.
- Adhesion energy
- The strength with which objects stick together, expressed as the energy required to peel the surfaces apart.
NewsLab news
Research results published in Polymer Journal
Research results published in Communications Materials
Study on the nanoscale properties of vulcanized rubber published in the Journal of the Society of Rubber Science and Technology, Japan
A master's student won an Excellent Poster Presentation Award at the Annual Meeting of the Society of Fiber Science and Technology, Japan
A student won a Poster Presentation Excellence Award at the Annual Meeting of the Society of Rubber Science and Technology, Japan
ResearchResearch themes
The lab studies polymer nanomechanics: investigating the structure and properties of polymers at the nanoscale in order to connect them to macroscopic properties. It takes part in several national projects and actively conducts joint research with overseas research institutions and companies.
*Illustrative imageNano-palpation atomic force microscopy
Taking advantage of the fact that the tiny probe of an atomic force microscope touches the sample surface directly, the lab has developed methods to measure and map Young's modulus and adhesion energy at each location. It can also show the uneven distribution of stress when rubber filled with carbon black, a tire material, is stretched.
*Illustrative imagePulling a single polymer chain
The lab calls its method of stretching polymers one chain at a time in a solvent and examining the relationship between force and extension "nanofishing." It now makes it possible to directly verify the validity of theories describing polymer shape, and recently it can also extract information on viscosity arising from friction with the solvent.
MembersFaculty
The members of the Nakajima-Liang Lab consist of faculty, doctoral, master's, and undergraduate students, research students, researchers, and administrative assistants.As of 2026
- ProfessorKen NakajimaPublications ↗
- Associate ProfessorXiaobin LiangPublications ↗
- Project Associate ProfessorKimhung NguyenPublications ↗
- Assistant ProfessorHaonan LiuPublications ↗
VoicesStudent voices
Compiled from answers by students who were in the lab. Ratings and reviews reflect individual students' experiences, not the lab's official views.
Students who take part in an interview may receive a thank-you gift worth ¥1,000, regardless of what they say.
On a 4-point scale, ● marks where students' answers fall
Who is this lab for?
What's great about this lab?
What did you learn after joining?
What's the vibe, and what is the professor like?
Where do graduates go?
RelatedLabs similar to Nakajima-Liang Lab
Tokita LabSchool of Materials and Chemical Technology, Department of Chemical Science and EngineeringPolymer structure, polymer physical properties, polymer liqu…
Konishi LabSchool of Materials and Chemical Technology, Department of Chemical Science and EngineeringPolymer science, photochemistry, optical materials, physiolo…
Hayashi LabSchool of Materials and Chemical Technology, Department of Chemical Science and EngineeringBond exchange, functional polymers, vitrimers, and polymer d…
Otsuka LabSchool of Materials and Chemical Technology, Department of Chemical Science and EngineeringPolymer chemistry, polymer reactions, dynamic covalent chemi…The information on this page is compiled by the LabLog team from the lab's public information and interviews. For corrections or removal requests, please contact LabLog, not the lab.
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: “Nanobouillon ( )” UCL Mathematical & Physical Sciences from London, UK / CC BY 2.0 (cropped)
- Nano-palpation atomic force microscopy: “Electroconductive carbon black - Structure 3” Ninja518 / CC BY-SA 4.0 (cropped)
- Pulling a single polymer chain: “Atomic force microscope by Zureks” Zureks / CC BY-SA 3.0 (cropped)
- Related lab (戸木田研究室): “Liquid crystal smectic texture” Alexprague / CC BY-SA 4.0 (cropped)
- Related lab (小西研究室): “Fluorescense drip” Maxim Bilovitskiy / CC BY-SA 4.0 (cropped)
- Related lab (林研究室): “A Problem with Polymer Theory” OLCF / CC BY 2.0 (cropped)
- Related lab (大塚研究室): “Test d'usure d'élastomère (Ifremer )” Stephane Lesbats / CC BY 4.0 (cropped)
About LabLog
LabLog is a lab review app for students only. Student members at each university interview students in labs and publish what they say. Student voices can only be read by students who sign up with a university email address. Operated by bestiee Inc.
Learn more about LabLog ↗Search engines and AI may reference the basic lab info and rating summaries on this page and the description of LabLog. Student voices are for student members only. Automated collection by programs (scraping, or input to or training of AI) is prohibited under Article 8 of the Terms of Service. If you need data for research or analysis, please contact us.