Inorganic crystals are formed by ordered arrangements of various kinds of elements in the periodic table.
Their properties appear due to the individual nature of the constituting elements, their chemical bond and
the crystal structure. Our research group focus to find out new inorganic solids useful in
- opto-electronic application for future information technology
- battery materials for high energy density
- ceramic-bio nano-hybrid for medical application
Both shape, such thin films, nano-sized crystals, and large single crystals, and microstructure control are
also important for new property evolution in inorganic solids. One of our characteristics is a development of
low temperature preparation method at around 100℃ for new highly functional oxides and nitrides.
(1) Soft preparation process in aqueous solution route for multinary inorganic solids
Most of the double oxide ceramics has been prepared by firing simple oxide mixture in high temperature furnace above 1000℃.
Their crystal structure is formed after the starting materials homogeneously mix each other in atomic scale at high temperature.
Compounds with large interlayer distance are generally metastable to decompose to a mixture of another compounds
with smaller lattice parameters in their heating. Homogeneous mixing is easily attained in aqueous solution.
Low temperature preparation is possible from the homogeneous mixture of starting materials if the homogeneity
is kept during the preparation. There is a big advantage in the process for a highly functional material evolution
as well as environmental benign preparation. Following subjects are under investigation.
Nano-sized crystals of functional ceramic materials prepared in gel-combustion method
Precipitation behavior of metal salts from mixed aqueous solution frozen under microgravity
Formation control and bio-hybridization of mixed metal hydroxides
Study on conduction mechanism of oxide ion conduction in Nd9.33(SiO4)6O2 single crystal and its thin film formation for fuel cell application
Gallery modification of layered manganese dioxide by intercalation methodshome