• About US

    School of Informatics and Engineering, the University of Electro-Communications, Jun Nakamura
    We are conducting research on atomic-level material design using computer simulations.
    One of our current major projects is the development of non-metallic catalysts for fuel cell cathodes (oxygen reduction).

     

    Recent topics

    Media Release

    Realization of inexpensive and high-performance non-platinum catalysts for fuel cells and air batteries. -- Optimization of metal complex catalyst molecules supported on carbon

    Dec 16, 2021 (Introduced in the Nihon Keizai Shimbun, Nikkan Kogyo Shimbun and many other media)

     

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    Click here for an introduction to the laboratories for graduate study (Japanese)

    This is a reference material for the third year students of Cluster III

    Click here for a MANGA introduction to our laboratory

    It was written by a science manga artist "Hayanon".

    This is the old website (slightly more informative than this one)

  • Research Area

    Main Research Projects in the Laboratory

    Exploration of oxygen reduction catalysts for fuel cells

    A fuel cell is a device that uses hydrogen as a fuel to reduce the oxygen in the air to water to generate electrical energy. The end product is water, so fuel cells have attracted much attention as a clean energy source. However, the use of platinum as a reduction catalyst is extremely expensive, and the durability of fuel cells is not very high, which is a barrier to their widespread use. Our laboratory is working on the atomic-level design of oxygen reduction catalysts that have better performance than Pt and can be fabricated with commonly available materials. Some of the results have already led to practical applications.

    Design of a catalyst for synthesizing methane from carbon dioxide

    Humans and other animals and machines use oxygen as a kind of fuel for their activities and emit carbon dioxide as a waste product. On the other hand, plants have the ability to produce oxygen from carbon dioxide when they are exposed to light, and this is why the carbon cycle on Earth is so well established. In recent years, however, this cycle has been disrupted by advanced industrialization. We are trying to design catalysts at the atomic level that can convert the excess carbon dioxide produced into other fuels.

    van der Waals superlattice:.
    Basic theory of stacking control by using anomalous electronic states at the edge

    In recent years, two-dimensional materials, such as graphene, which is a typical example of the planar structure of carbon, have been attracting attention because of their unique electronic state. We have been conducting research to develop new materials and devices that make use of the "edge state", which is created by reducing the dimensions of the two-dimensional material to one dimension.

    van der Waals superlattice:.
    Control of the interconversion function of electrons, light and heat

    under construction

    The Mysterious Behavior of Water

    under construction

    Search for carbon-based electronic and optical materials

    under construction

  • My classes (in japanese)

    中村が担当する授業のお知らせなど

  • Now, what do you want to do ?

    "Go ahead. Either that, or go ahead anyway."

    by jun

  • Reach out

    1-5-1 Chofugaoka, Chofu, Tokyo 182-8585, Japan

    Nakamura Lab. (Atomic-scale materials design Lab.)

    The University of Electro-Communications (UEC Tokyo)

    If you have any questions, please visit our lab webpage.

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    admin (Please connect the following domain)

    @natori.ee.uec.ac.jp