奈良先端科学技術大学院大学 物質創成科学領域

Division of Materials Science NARA Institute of Science and Technology

Interfaces, Molecules and Materials Laboratory

Staff & Contact

Educational Staff Prof. Blanca Martin-Vaca (UT3PS)
Associate Prof. Claire Kammerer (UT3PS)
Prof. Prof. Tsuyoshi Kawai (NAIST)
Prof. Gwénaël Rapenne (UT3PS and NAIST)

Education and Research Activities in the Laboratory

The Interfaces, Molecules and Materials Laboratory is a teaching laboratory where doctoral students receive both education and research guidance in these fields on collaborative projects between the University Toulouse 3 Paul Sabatier (UT3PS) and NAIST. The laboratory location can be either at NAIST or the partner institution. A few exemples are given below.

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Fig. 1 International collaborative laboratory to support Franco-Japanese UT3PS-NAIST collaborations exchanges

Research Themes (a few examples)

1. Photochromic molecular machines

Artificial Molecular machines (MM) are molecules capable to execute mechanical-like movements as an outcome of an appropriate external stimuli. Our MM are essentialy electron-fueled but taking advantage of the properties of photochroms, a secondary function can be achieved using light as an input. For instance, the rotation of a motor can now be stopped under the effect of light (Fig. 2).

2. Taylor-made high-performance polymers

High-performance and functional polymers are prepared by mixing various skills from polymer laboratories from NAIST and UT3PS. For instance, to enhance the pH-responsiveness of poly(lactic acid) (PLA) particles, vanillin acetal-based initiators were synthesized and functional PLA was initiated at the chain end. One polymer was prepared to achieve a pH-responsive behavior under physiological conditions within 3 min. A perspective could be to control the particle aggregation rate under physiological conditions for applying as a target drug carrier. (Fig. 3).

3. Photochromic molecules for efficient solar energy storage and on-demand heat release

Photochromic molecules display reversible isomerization reactions between two isomers accompanied by an exchange between heat and chemical potential. A considerable part of the absorbed light energy is stored in and released from a photochromic molecules, which undergo cyclization reactions under UV light excitation and backward reactions after application of oxidative stimuli. (Fig. 4).

2.png Fig. 2. A molecular motor functionalized with a photoresponsive brake
3.gif Fig. 3 PH Effect on polylactic acid (PLA) particle aggregation
4.gif Fig. 4. Photochromic molecules for efficient solar energy storage and on-demand heat release

Recent Research Papers and Achievements

  1. A molecular motor functionalized with a photoresponsive brakeR Asato, C.J. Martin, Y. Gisbert, F. Asanoma, T. Nakashima, C. Kammerer, T. Kawai, G. Rapenne, Inorg. Chem. 2021, 60, 3492.
  2. Ruthenium complexes of sterically-hindered pentaphenylcyclopentadienyl ligands R Asato, C.J. Martin, Y. Gisbert, S. Abid, T. Kawai, C. Kammerer, G. Rapenne, RSC Advances 2021, 20207-20215.
  3. Energy Storage upon Photochromic 6-π Photocyclization and Efficient On-Demand Heat Release with Oxidation Stimuli R Asato, C.J. Martin, T. Nakashima, J.P. Calupitan, G. Rapenne, T. Kawai, J. Phys. Chem. Lett.2021, 12, 11391.
  4. RAFT Polymerization of N-Methyl-N-vinylacetamide and Related Double Hydrophilic Block Copolymers A. Dupre-Demorsy, O. Coutelier, M. Destarac, C. Nadal, V. Bourdon, T. Ando, H. Ajiro, Macromolecules, 2022, 55, 1127-1138.
  5. Investigations into terarylenes containing π-extended thieno[b]thiophene units C.J. Martin, Y. Goto, R Asato, G. Rapenne, T. Kawai New J. Chem.2023, 47, 2832-2839.
  6. pH Effect on Particle Aggregation of Vanillin End-Capped Polylactides Bearing a Hydrophilic Group Connected by a Cyclic Acetal Moiety K. Sarisuta, M. Iwami, B. Martin-Vaca, N. Chanthaset, H. Ajiro, Langmuir, 2023, 39, 3994-4004.