In the Li2O-Nb2O5-TiO2 (LNT) system, the LNT forms a unique structure (superstructure). The superstructure is formed by addition of Ti ion and periodical insertion of an intergrowth layer of corundum-type [Ti2O3]2+ in a matrix having a trigonal structure (Fig.1). To enable the application of this unique structure, The research team led by Prof. Hiromi Nakano…
Teaching Personal Care Robots About Human Poses
Expectations for care robots are growing against the backdrop of declining birthrates, an aging population, and a lack of care staff. As an example, for care at nursing homes and other such facilities, it is anticipated that robots will check the condition of the residents while patrolling the facility. When evaluating a person’s condition, while…
Microhotplates for a Smart Gas Sensor
Gas sensors used for leakage alerts and air quality monitoring are essential in our daily lives. Towards a ubiquitous society, smart gas sensors, which perform signal processing and communication besides sensing, have attracted much attention. In addition, integrating these functions into a single chip leads to low-cost and miniature smart gas-sensing systems. Semiconductor gas sensors,…
Electrode Design of Next-Gen Batteries Using Prussian Blue and Its Analogues
Calcium ion batteries (CIBs) have attracted much attention as next-generation batteries to replace lithium ion batteries (LIBs) because the theoretical capacity of CIBs is twice that of LIBs. This doubled capacity can be explained by the difference between monovalent and divalent ions. In addition, CIBs possess advantages such as a lower cost and higher safety…
Towards Building Next-Generation Batteries Using A Pigment Electrode
Calcium ion batteries (CIBs) have attracted much attention as next-generation batteries to replace lithium ion batteries (LIBs) because the theoretical capacity of CIBs is twice that of LIBs. This doubled capacity can be explained by the difference between monovalent and divalent ions. In addition, CIBs possess advantages such as a lower cost and higher safety…
Unveiling the Electron’s Motion in a Carbon Nanocoil
Carbon nanocoils (CNCs) are an exotic class of low-dimensional nanocarbons whose helical shape may make them suitable for applications such as microwave absorbers and various mechanical components such as springs. Typical thicknesses and coil diameters of CNCs fall within the ranges of 100-400 nm and 400-1000 nm, respectively, and their full lengths are much larger,…
High Power, High Safety Oxide-Based Negative Electrode Materials for Li-Ion Battery
Mixed Ti-Nb oxide Ti2Nb10O29 (TNO) is one of the negative electrode materials for large scale Li-ion battery with high safety because the potential (= 1.6 V vs. Li/Li+) for Li storage of TNO should avoid possible Li plating or formation of Li dendrites and the short circuit of the battery to fire the flammable organic…
2D Layered Materials Promising for Ultrathin Optoelectronic Devices
Two-dimensional (2D) layered materials are now attracting a lot of interest due to their unique optoelectronic properties at atomic thicknesses. Among them, graphene has been mostly investigated, but the zero-gap nature of graphene limits its practical applications. Therefore, 2D layered materials with intrinsic band gaps such as MoS2, MoSe2, and MoTe2 are of interest as…
An Aid for Surgeons to Make the Invisible, Visible
An ultrasonic microscope emits a high frequency sound at an object, and the reflected sound captured by its lens is converted into two dimensional image of the object under scrutiny. Ultrasonic microscopes have a wide range of applications including determining the presence of otherwise invisible defects in components used in the automobile, aeronautical, and construction…