Department of Materials Engineering Science

The Department of Materials Engineering Science aims at interdisciplinary researches and educations of skilled young scientists/engineers who can challenge new experimental and theoretical studies including developments and analyses of advanced new functional materials, new chemical processes, new technologies based on physics and chemistry. This department is composed of 4 divisions, namely, Divisions of Materials Physics, Chemistry, Chemical Engineering and Frontier Materials Science.

Division of Materials Physics

In this Division, the cutting-edge studies of materials physics are performed in both experimental and theoretical fields. Along with the fundamental researches of the materials for advanced devices, studies of new materials and new phenomena, which are expected to contribute to the development of the frontier of physics, are widely carried out. The microscopic mechanisms of various interactions are investigated for a large class of materials in the bulk, surface, molecule, nanoscale and mesoscopic conditions, through new theoretical methods and models, and through the most advanced experimental methods such as synchrotron radiation spectroscopy and various probes under very low temperature. These results are also reflected in the development of new artificial materials of applicational interests. The characteristic feature of this area is the broad field of researches, which covers the creation of new materials and the development of new instruments and new methods, as well as the construction of new theories to clarify unknown phenomena and predict new observations. Futhermore, this feature is directly reflected on the education of new generations of researchers and engineers.

Division of Chemistry

Chemistry continues to be a fundamental field of science which is indispensable for the creation of materials with new functions and better performance, and is becoming more important with the advances of all fields of science and technology. Moreover, it will play a crucial role in the 21st century as a key technology to solve the important problems which confront contemporary life such as resources, environment, and energy. From these viewpoints, the Division of Chemistry is engaged in researches involving broad disciplines of chemical science and technology, including development of synthetic methods, creation of new materials with intelligent functions, and exploration of molecular organizations on surfaces as well as in biological systems in close collaboration with the Research Center for Solar Energy Chemistry. On the basis of the high level of research activities, the division is actively involved in graduate education with the focus on cultivating students' ability required not only in chemistry but also in the wide range of related fields.

DIVISION AREA GROUP
Division of Chemistry Area of Synthetic Chemistry Synthetic Organic Chemistry Group
Physical Organic Chemistry Group
Molecular Assembly Chemistry Group
Area of Molecular Organization Chemistry Surface Chemistry Group
Biological Chemistry Group
Collaborative Chairs/Area of Solar Energy Chemistry Solar Energy Conversion Group

Division of Chemical Engineering

The Division of Chemical Engineering covers the fundamental studies on elucidation of the phenomena in chemical conversion processes, which deal with material synthesis and separation, energy conversion and storage, and design and development of functional materials with high conversion efficiencies, as well as the application studies on the development of novel industrial processes including studies on solving energy and global environmental problems. The research projects are being conducted based on the latest information in chemistry, biochemistry, physics, mathematics, nanotechnology, biotechnology, computer science and quantum science, and the final results obtained are integrated as new knowledge and methodologies, targeting the development of a sustainable society with recycle and reuse system which is friendly to environment on Earth. As the core of the research group, Program for Leading Graduate Schools "Interactive Materials Science Cadet Program", intensive researches and high-level education are being conducted to bring up young scientists and/or engineers who pioneer a new era, while keeping in close collaborations with the Research Center for Solar Energy Chemistry.

Division of Frontier Materials Science

In order to create the basic science and engineering in the twenty-first century, it is necessary to investigate the fabrication of frontier materials and their new functionality in combination with physics and chemistry, especially in the research field of nanoscale materials. In this Division, based on materials physics and molecular chemistry which have excellent theoretical and experimental frameworks, we not only investigate various kinds of electronic and optical properties of materials and their new phenomena but also fabricate new kinds of materials, thus providing active research and educational programs to graduate school students who will be able to open the frontier fields of multidisciplinary materials science and its applications as researchers and engineers of wide outlooks.