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Functional Molecular Materials Lab
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A lab that designs and synthesizes functional molecules and controls the optical and mechanical properties of the materials made from them.
AboutAbout the lab
Designing molecules that move, and using them as materials.
The Functional Molecular Materials Lab designs and synthesizes functional molecules and turns them into materials, controlling how molecules move and assemble within a substance to tune its optical, electronic, and mechanical properties.
Centered on the development of organic molecules, the lab aims to create molecular systems that deepen the understanding of natural science and organic materials that advance science and technology.
Daily work includes organic synthesis, structural analysis, quantum chemical calculations, and spectroscopic analysis of light absorption and emission. Depending on the theme, the lab also synthesizes polymers and liquid crystals and carries out hardness measurements and tensile tests.
The lab's website refers to it as the "Saito Lab."
Key terms
- Fluorescent probe
- A molecule that reports changes in its surroundings as changes in the color, intensity, or lifetime of its emission
- Liquid crystal
- A state of matter that flows like a liquid while its molecules remain aligned to some degree
- Quantum chemical calculation
- A method of computing the electronic state of molecules on a computer based on quantum mechanics
ResearchResearch themes
The lab aims to design and synthesize original functional molecules and turn them into materials, controlling how molecules move and assemble within a substance to tune its optical, electronic, and mechanical properties. With basic science and applied technology as twin drivers, it takes a broad view of where its research can lead.
*Illustrative imageSynthesis of functional molecules that exploit the motion of flexible molecules
Flexible luminescent molecules are dispersed in polymers, liquid crystals, fluids, and other media, and the motion of the molecular skeleton as the material deforms is read out as emission spectra and emission lifetimes. Nanoscale stress concentration and the viscosity distribution of fluids are tracked by real-time imaging.
*Illustrative imageEnvironment-responsive fluorescent probes and development of polymer materials
Using organic synthesis, the lab develops "flapping molecules" (FLAP) with flexible π-conjugated structures. With the help of quantum chemical calculations, it analyzes the flapping motion in the ground and excited states and clarifies how the electronic structure and emission spectra change with the motion.
*Illustrative imageDevelopment of liquid crystals and gels that become fluid under light irradiation
The lab develops materials in which functional molecules that readily aggregate are locally condensed within the substance. The molecules respond to stimuli such as light irradiation, temperature control, and applied electric fields, producing organic materials whose hardness, adhesion, solubility, and other properties can be controlled. Materials informatics is pursued in parallel.
*Illustrative imageEmission properties of antiaromatic compounds and creation of dyes
The lab aims to realize, in a single organic molecule, diverse emission properties comparable to those of rare-earth complexes. It evaluates emission properties in antiaromatic porphyrinoids, for which systematic derivative libraries can be made, and creates dyes unlike ordinary organic compounds.
MembersFaculty
The members of the Functional Molecular Materials Lab consist of faculty, administrative assistants, and students.
- ProfessorShohei Saito
- LecturerKenichi Yamashita
- Assistant ProfessorKensuke Suga
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: “Fluorescence of Anthracene under UV light” TimJW12 / CC BY-SA 4.0 (cropped)
- Synthesis of functional molecules that exploit the motion of flexible molecules: “Nematic liquid crystal” Ingo Dierking / CC BY-SA 4.0 (cropped)
- Environment-responsive fluorescent probes and development of polymer materials: “Fluorescence of Riboflavin in Water” Ksenia Kandurova, Yurii Kandurov, Dmitry Stavtsev / CC BY 4.0 (cropped)
- Development of liquid crystals and gels that become fluid under light irradiation: “Gel in containers” Nikudumo / CC BY-SA 4.0 (cropped)
- Emission properties of antiaromatic compounds and creation of dyes: “Fluorescent dye” Swastipandey / CC BY-SA 4.0 (cropped)
- Related lab (Polymer Synthetic Chemistry Lab): “Brechung” Friedrich Haag / CC BY-SA 4.0 (cropped)
- Related lab (Supramolecular Functional Chemistry Lab): “Monoclonal antibodies (5)” Linda Bartlett (Photographer) / Public domain (cropped)
- Related lab (Yamaguchi Lab): “Protein Crystal Malic Enzyme” 作者不詳 / Public domain (cropped)
- Related lab (Polymer Physical Chemistry Lab): “Capillary rheometer 2” Cjp24 / CC BY-SA 4.0 (cropped)
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