Sumitomo Chemical and Tokyo Institute of Technology create next-generation environmental technology using highly correlated materials
Two groundbreaking results announced in first year of industry-academia collaboration project
May. 23, 2024
Sumitomo Chemical Co., Ltd. and the National University Corporation Tokyo Institute of Technology established the “Sumitomo Chemical Next Generation Environmental Device Collaborative Research Center” in April 2023 to develop highly correlated materials expected to be one of the key materials for next-generation quantum devices. We have been conducting research toward the practical application of this technology.
Recently, Sumitomo Chemical and the Tokyo Institute of Technology succeeded in achieving two groundbreaking results regarding multiferroic materials.*1a type of strongly correlated material.
- They have succeeded in miniaturizing multiferroic materials, which was technically difficult, and have taken a major step toward realizing next-generation memory that operates with ultra-low power consumption.
- Discovery of highly efficient photocatalytic function of multiferroic materials, leading to the realization of a sunlight-based water purification system that contributes to reducing environmental impact
These results are expected to greatly contribute to the development of next-generation environmental technologies, and as a leading company in this technology field, Sumitomo Chemical will continue to build on these results to create further results and contribute to the early development of society. We will try our best to implement it.
A group of materials with strong interactions between electrons are called strongly correlated materials, and are used in next-generation memory devices that operate with ultra-low power consumption, energy harvesting devices that efficiently convert ambient energy such as light and heat into electrical energy, and the environment. It is expected to be used in environmentally friendly water purification systems. Sumitomo Chemical believes that strongly correlated substances are a next-generation core technology that can contribute to both energy conservation and energy creation. For this reason, since April 2023, our company has been conducting joint research through cross-appointments with the University of Tokyo, Tokyo Institute of Technology, and RIKEN.*2.
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Figure: Schematic diagram of strongly correlated materials
Sumitomo Chemical will further strengthen industry-academia collaboration in research and development in the field of strongly correlated materials, and will also strive to establish technological platforms and implement innovative new technologies that will provide solutions toward realizing a sustainable society.
(Summary of research results)
Result 1:
Research Team:
Professor Masaki Azuma and his team from the Kanagawa Industrial Technology Research Institute
detail:
In modern society where information and communication technology is rapidly spreading, energy consumption by memory and computing elements is increasing, and low power consumption of memory devices has become an important requirement. Multiferroic materials, which have both strong ferromagnetism and strong ferroelectricity, are expected to be applied to magnetic memories that operate with ultra-low power consumption. However, it is known that miniaturization of multiferroic materials made of oxides is extremely difficult. In this research, we succeeded in forming and integrating bismuth cobaltate ferrite, a multiferroic oxide, into nano-sized dots by using the porous structure of alumina, which was created by applying electricity in an acidic solution. . Furthermore, it was confirmed that each nanodot possesses a single polarization information, marking a major step towards the realization of next-generation high-density, low-power magnetic memory.
Result 2:
Research team:
A team consisting of Associate Professor Tsofu Mark Chan and Dr. Satoshi Okamoto, Chief Research Coordinator, Corporate Planning Office, Sumitomo Chemical (Specially Appointed Professor, Sumitomo Chemical Next Generation Environmental Device Collaborative Research Cluster)
detail:
In recent years, as interest in the Sustainable Development Goals has increased, there is a demand for technology to cleanly and efficiently purify the large amounts of organic wastewater generated in the dyeing process of textile products such as denim. Photocatalysis technology has attracted attention as a solution to this problem, but there are challenges to its practical application. With conventional photocatalysts using titanium dioxide, the decomposition reaction of organic matter by visible light (sunlight) does not proceed sufficiently, and it is also difficult to efficiently recover the catalyst. In this study, we discovered that gold nanoparticles supported on bismuth ferrite, a multiferroic material, function as a highly efficient visible light photocatalyst, and we succeeded in highly efficient decomposition of organic dyes by visible light and catalyst recovery using a magnet. It is expected that this technology will lead to the realization of a circulatory water purification system that utilizes sunlight as green energy.
*1 A material that combines multiple ferroelectric properties, such as strong ferroelectricity, strong ferromagnetism, and strong ferroelasticity. It exhibits new responses that differ from conventional materials, such as the induction of magnetization by an electric field (electromagnetic effect).
*2 An industry-academia collaboration arrangement in which researchers or experts are employed by two or more organizations or groups, such as a university, public research institute, or company, and engage in research and development or educational activities according to their roles at each organization or group.
reference:
Information about the paper:
https://pubs.acs.org/doi/full/10.1021/acsami.4c01232
Journal: ACS Applied Materials and Interfaces
Title: Single or vortex ferroelectric and ferromagnetic domain nanodot arrays in magnetoelectric BiFe0.9Co0.1O3
Authors: Keita Ozawa, Yasuhito Nagase, Marin Katsumata, Kei Shigematsu, Masaki Azuma
https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/acsanm.4c01702
Journal: ACS Applied Nanomaterials
Title: Tunable photocatalytic properties of Au-decorated BiFeO3 nanostructures for dye photolysis
Authors: Jhen-Yang Wu, Chun-Yi Chen, Junan Wang, Xinyu Jin, Wending Hou, Hsuan-Hung Kuo, Wan-Ting Chiu, Tomoyuki Kurioka, Masato Sone, Satoshi Okamoto, Yung-Jung Hsu Tso-Fu, Mark Chang
Related information:
Sumitomo Chemical Launches Industry-Academia Collaborative Research on Strongly Correlated Materials to Create Next-Generation Quantum Devices Aiming for early practical application by utilizing “cross appointments”March 28, 2023
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