Polymeric organization inspired from history of natural environment and biomaterials

DRY & WET: self-organization of natural polysaccharides

We are investigating the mechanism via which polysaccharides reproduce geometric patterns in centimeter scale in vitro. In particular, by controlling physicochemical conditions, we are exploring the law of spatial recognition exhibited in polysaccharides under dry environment. In a non-equilibrium environment, macromolecules are organized in both micro and macro forms. The fact that actual living organisms survive in dry environments while maintaining their body moisture could be critical for understanding biopolymer evolution.

Biomacromolecules (2016), Sci Rep (2017), J Colloid Interf Sci (2019), Polymer J (2020 Focus Review), Adv Mater Inter (2023), etc

Polymeric materials living with water

Regardless of their origin, biological or synthetic, soft materials can be morphologically controlled by stress at the materials’ interface. Only small environmental differences, such as slight changes in mechanical energy, can change shapes and patterns. These patterns can be used in medical fields as novel biomimetic materials that can efficiently adapt to the external environment. Here, we focus on polymeric materials that have potentials to survive with water.

Sci Rep (2015), Sci Rep (2017), Adv Funct Mater (2018), Small (2020), ACS APM (2022), etc

Artificial photosynthetic gels

We are trying to fabricate artificial photosynthetic gels converting solar energy into high-energy chemical substance. The gels are designed by involving an electronic transmission circuit to generate hydrogen and oxygen when visible light and water are supplied. In design of the system, the necessary components of the circuit such as sensitizer, electron-acceptor and catalytic nanoparticles are not dispersed like solution systems, but the components are integrated in polymer network with close arrangement by using electrostatic interaction and hydrophobic interaction. The integrated gel system could be defined as artificial chloroplasts.

Soft Matter (2009), Adv Funct Mater (2010), Small (2011), Angew Chem Int Ed (2019), Chem Commun (2024), etc