Professor

Takahiro Yamada

Assistant Professor

Akira Hosono

Exploration of novel inorganic functional materials, and development of new synthetic processes

There are many inorganic compounds that have not been discovered or whose functions have not been completely revealed and understood. We aim to develop novel inorganic compounds through exploratory synthesis for use as functional materials such as thermoelectric materials, hard materials, and superconductors. We also intend to prepare high-quality samples by new synthetic processes and characterize such compounds by determining their functionalities and demonstrating the mechanism simultaneously through appropriate experimentation and theoretical calculation. These fundamental research eff orts can aid the discovery of the so-called game changers in materials science.

Themes

• Synthesis, crystal structure, and characterization of novel multinary inorganic compounds
• Development of thermoelectric materials based on multinary intermetallic compounds
• Development and application of synthetic processes of nitrides using solid nitrogen sources
• Synthesis and characterization of novel polar intermetallics for the development of functional materials
• Development of a low-temperature synthesis process for non-oxide ceramics