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, Langmuir 2024, 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