Research 

Keywords: Heterogeneous catalysts, Biomass conversion (biomass to chemicals), Solid acid and base catalysts 

Representative works: 

• “Fluoride-catalysed reduction of glucose using silicon powder as reducing agent”, T. Kojo, K. Motokura, A. Takagaki*, RSC Sustainability, in press. DOI: 10.1039/D5SU00529A 

• “Mechanochemical Methanolysis of Polyethylene Terephthalate Using Calcium Oxide as Solid Base Catalyst: A Case Study”, S. Chrea, A. Takagaki*, Chemical Communications, 2025, 61, 7474-7477.

•  “Highly Porous Boron Nitride as a Metal-Free Heterogeneous Catalyst for Cycloaddition of CO2 to Epoxides”, T. Miyamoto, A. Takagaki,  J.T. Song, M. Watanabe, T. Ishihara, Catalysis Science and Technology,  2024, 14, 6782-6789. (Selected as Back Cover Art)

• “Introduction of Tensile Strain into Titanium Dioxide for Increased Solid Acid Catalytic Activity”, A. Takagaki*, T. Ozaki, J.T. Song, E. Niwa, M. Watanabe, T. Ishihara, Catalysis Science and Technology, 2022, 12, 6359-6362. (Selected as Back Cover Art)

• “Low-temperature Activation of Methane with Nitric Oxide and Formation of Hydrogen Cyanide over an Alumina-supported Platinum Catalyst”, T. Yamasaki, A. Nishida, N. Suganuma, Y. Song, X. Li, J. Murakami, T. Kodaira, K. K. Bando, T. Ishihara, T. Shishido, A. Takagaki*, ACS Catalysis, 2021, 11, 14660-14668. (Selected as Supplementary Cover Art)

• “Effects of Ball-milling Treatment on Physicochemical Properties and Solid Base Activity of Hexagonal Boron Nitrides”, S. Namba, A. Takagaki*, K. Jimura, S. Hayashi, R. Kikuchi, S.T. Oyama, Catalysis Science and Technology, 2019, 9, 302-309. (Selected as Back cover)

• “Mechanochemical decomposition of crystalline cellulose in the presence of protonated layered niobium molybdate solid acid catalyst”, S. Furusato, A. Takagaki*, S. Hayashi, A. Miyasato, R. Kikuchi, S.T. Oyama, ChemSusChem, 2018, 11, 888-896.

• “Utilization of Hexagonal Boron Nitride as a Solid Acid-Base Bifunctional Catalyst”, S. Torii, K. Jimura, S. Hayashi, R. Kikuchi, A. Takagaki*,  Journal of Catalysis, 2017, 355, 176-184 (Selected as Featured Articles)

Review

• “Rational Design of Metal Oxide Solid Acids for Sugar Conversion”, A. Takagaki, Catalysts, 2019, 9, 907 (19 pages).

• “Characterization, Synthesis and Catalysis of Hydrotalcite-related Materials for Highly Efficient Materials Transformations”, S. Nishimura, A. Takagaki, K. Ebitani, Green Chemistry, 2013, 15, 2026-2042.

• “Catalytic Transformations of Biomass-derived Materials into Value-added Chemicals”, A. Takagaki, S. Nishimura, K. Ebitani, Catalysis Surveys from Asia, 2012, 16, 164-182.

• “Nanosheets as highly active solid acid catalysts for green chemical syntheses”, A. Takagaki, C. Tagusagawa, S. Hayashi, M. Hara, K. Domen,  Energy & Environmental Science, 2010, 3, 82-93.