Research
Research
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Crystal Growth and Formation of Inorganic Materials
"Understanding nucleation, growth, and phase evolution provides a basis for rational control of inorganic material formation."
We investigate how inorganic materials nucleate, grow, and evolve under solution-based synthesis conditions. Understanding these processes is essential for controlling not only particle size and morphology, but also composition, crystallographic structure, phase stability, and defect formation.
Our research focuses on identifying the chemical and structural factors that govern the formation of complex metal hydroxides and oxides, including precursor chemistry, hydrolysis and condensation, supersaturation, coordination environments, and phase transformation pathways. By connecting these fundamental processes with experimentally accessible synthesis parameters, we aim to establish rational and transferable principles for the controlled preparation of multicomponent inorganic materials.
Layered Metal Hydroxides and Oxides
"Programmable layered frameworks offer precise control over composition, local cation environments, interlayer chemistry, dimensionality, and post-synthetic transformation."
Layered metal hydroxides and oxides provide versatile platforms for inorganic materials design because of their compositional flexibility, structural adaptability, and accessible interlayer chemistry. Layered double hydroxides, hydroxy double salts, phyllosilicates, and layered titanates, in particular, offer versatile two-dimensional crystalline frameworks that accommodate diverse metal cations through distinct structural and coordination environments, enabling systematic control over chemical composition, local coordination, and the spatial distribution of metal cations.
A major focus of our research is to understand how composition and layered structure govern cation incorporation, distribution, and stability. By tuning the metal composition within the layers, we can regulate the local proximity of different cation species and access atomic-scale interactions that are difficult to achieve in conventional three-dimensional oxides. Interlayer species provide an additional degree of freedom for charge compensation, ion exchange, and structural modification. Beyond direct synthesis, we use post-synthetic strategies such as cation exchange, anion exchange, exfoliation, selective etching, and controlled phase transformation to expand the accessible materials space.
Multicomponent and Compositionally Complex Materials
"Controlling multication composition and distribution allows systematic tuning of local atomic environments, cation proximity, and cooperative interactions."
We develop synthetic strategies for multicomponent and compositionally complex inorganic materials in which several metal species are incorporated within a common structural framework or organized into multiphase architectures. Such systems provide opportunities to access chemical environments and collective properties that cannot be realized in conventional binary or ternary materials.
Our particular interest lies in controlling how multiple cations are incorporated, distributed, and locally coordinated within hydroxide and oxide lattices, as well as how distinct phases are organized and interconnected in mixed metal oxides and composite structures. Flexible cation sublattices allow broad compositional tunability while suppressing macroscopic phase segregation, making it possible to systematically regulate the local proximity of different metal species. In multiphase systems, controlling phase composition, distribution, and interfacial interactions provides additional opportunities to tailor material properties. By linking overall composition and phase architecture with local atomic environments, we aim to understand and exploit cooperative interactions among multiple elements for the design of complex functional materials.
Phase Transformation and Interface Engineering
"Programmable precursors provide access to controlled phase evolution and nanoscale metal–metal and metal–oxide interfaces."
We use crystalline hydroxides and oxides as programmable precursors for constructing new phases, heterostructures, and nanoscale interfaces. Because the composition and local atomic arrangement of the parent material can be precisely controlled, these characteristics can often be transferred, reorganized, or selectively transformed during subsequent processing.
Thermal treatment, reduction, oxidation, electrochemical conversion, and atmosphere-controlled transformation are used to generate metals, mixed oxides, and multiphase structures with tailored interfaces. We are particularly interested in how precursor structure and composition determine phase evolution, elemental redistribution, and interfacial configuration. By controlling these transformation pathways, we seek to create metastable phases and well-defined metal–metal or metal–oxide interfaces that are difficult to synthesize directly.
Catalysis and Energy Conversion
"From materials formation to catalytic function: linking composition, local structure, interfaces, and reaction pathways."
We apply our materials-design strategies to catalytic reactions relevant to sustainable energy conversion and environmental technologies. Our research spans electrocatalysis, photoelectrocatalysis, and thermocatalysis, with particular interest in reactions involving hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen, and carbon-based molecules.
Rather than treating catalytic activity as an isolated material property, we focus on establishing relationships among synthesis, local structure, oxidation state, phase composition, interfaces, and reaction pathways. This approach allows us to identify how specific atomic environments and interfacial structures govern adsorption, charge transfer, and catalytic selectivity. Beyond catalysis, we seek to extend these materials-design principles to a broader range of functional materials and applications, connecting fundamental understanding of inorganic materials formation with diverse technological opportunities.
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