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Functional Construction Lab
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A lab that studies the boundary between liquids and solids at the atomic level.
AboutAbout the lab
Seeing atoms inside liquids
Building on the physical chemistry of surfaces and interfaces, the Functional Construction Lab aims to master how to create, observe, and use material surfaces.
The solid-liquid interface, where a solid meets a liquid, is the site of many reactions, such as those at battery electrodes, but because it is buried, it is not easy to investigate.
The lab therefore develops its own atomic force microscopes (AFM) that can operate inside liquids and see the structure of solid-liquid interfaces at the atomic scale.
Key terms
- Solid-liquid interface
- The surface where a solid and a liquid are in contact
- Atomic force microscope (AFM)
- A microscope that measures the force acting between a sharp tip and a surface in order to image the surface at the atomic level
- Ionic liquid
- A substance made up only of cations and anions that is liquid even around room temperature
NewsLab news
A master's student received the Outstanding Presentation Award at the Japan Society of Applied Physics (JSAP) Functional Nano-Interface Science Research Group 2026
A paper published in ACS Nano in 2024 received the Paper Award of the JSAP Thin Film and Surface Physics Division
A doctoral student received a Poster Award at ICSPM33
ResearchResearch themes
To analyze solid-liquid interfaces at the atomic scale, the lab develops atomic force microscopes (AFM) that operate inside liquids. It investigates interfaces between ionic liquids and electrodes, between lubricants and solids, and between liquid metals and alloys.
*Illustrative imageBuilding an AFM that works in liquids
The lab develops liquid-environment AFM that scans surfaces with a quartz resonator (qPlus sensor) fitted with a sharp tip. Because only the tip of the needle is immersed in the liquid, it can analyze highly viscous liquids and liquids that do not transmit light.
*Illustrative imageThe boundary between electrodes and ionic liquids
At the interface between a battery electrode and an ionic liquid electrolyte, the lab examined the density distribution of the liquid at the atomic level and found that the distribution is disturbed when lithium ions are present. It is also building its own electrochemical AFM, which can measure while changing the electrode potential.
*Illustrative imageThe boundary between lubricants and solids
Reducing friction is directly tied to energy problems. Using multiple vibration modes of the sensor, the lab found a way to measure both vertical and lateral forces, and achieved analysis in which atoms can be seen inside a lubricant 1,000 times more viscous than water.
*Illustrative imageObserving alloying inside liquid metals
When a molten metal such as gallium is brought into contact with a solid metal, an alloy forms at the interface. The lab operates AFM inside opaque liquid metals and observes the process of alloy formation in situ at the atomic scale.
MembersFaculty
The members of the Functional Construction Lab consist of faculty, doctoral students, master's students, and fourth-year undergraduates.
- Associate ProfessorTakashi Ichii
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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: “Large sample AFM VEGA” AAMonitor96 / CC BY-SA 3.0 (cropped)
- Building an AFM that works in liquids: “Resonance enhanced AFM-IR schematic” Cbprater / CC BY-SA 3.0 (cropped)
- The boundary between electrodes and ionic liquids: “Electric double-layer capacitor (2 models) -2 NT” Tosaka / CC BY 3.0 (cropped)
- The boundary between lubricants and solids: “Kohler shower valve replacement putting lubricant on the valve seats” Tomwsulcer / CC0 (cropped)
- Observing alloying inside liquid metals: “Researchers turn to liquid metals for agile electronics 170208-F-ZS991-001” Marisa Novobilski / Public domain (cropped)
- Related lab (Advanced Materials Physics Lab): “Scanning tunneling microscope-MHS 2237-IMG 3819” Rama / CC BY-SA 3.0 fr (cropped)
- Related lab (Crystal Physics and Engineering Lab): “Plastic Stress Versus Strain” Mikeviti6 / CC BY-SA 4.0 (cropped)
- Related lab (Physics of Magnetism Lab): “Metal shavings around bar magnet (close-up)” Maciej J. Mrowinski / CC BY-SA 4.0 (cropped)
- Related lab (Materials Design Engineering Lab): “Stone Flower (Кам’яна квітка)” Яна Сычикова, Сергей Ковачев / CC BY-SA 4.0 (cropped)
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