Yoshiyuki Sugahara

Two-dimensional monoclinic WO(3) nanoplates with high specific surface areas are synthesized through a novel conversion process using tungstate-based inorganic-organic hybrid micro/nanobelts as precursors. The process developed involves a topochemical transformation of tungstate-based inorganic-organic hybrid belts into WO(3) nanoplates via an intermediate product of H(2)WO(4) nanoplates, utilizing the similarity of the W-O octahedral layers in both H(2)WO(4) and WO(3). The as-obtained WO(3) nan

Although tremendous effort has been directed to synthesizing advanced TiO2 , it remains difficult to obtain TiO2 exhibiting a photocatalytic efficiency higher than that of P25, a benchmark photocatalyst. P25 is composed of anatase, rutile, and amorphous TiO2 particles, and photoexcited electron transfer and subsequent charge separation at the anatase-rutile particle interfaces explain its high photocatalytic efficiency. Herein, we report on a facile and rational hydrothermal treatment of P25 to

Abstract A kaolinite-polymer intercalation complex was apparently formed for the first time by the polymerization of acrylonitrile between the kaolinite layers. A kaolinite-ammonium acetate intercalation complex was dispersed in acrylonitrile monomer. The monomer was apparently incorporated between the layers by displacing intercalated ammonium acetate. After the removal of excess monomer, the intercalation complex was heated to cause polymerization. The resulting kaolinite-polyacrylonitrile (PA

Abstract Acrylamide has been polymerized between the layers of kaolinite by heat treatment. Acrylamide monomer was first intercalated by the displacement reaction between a kaolinite-N-methylformamide (NMF) intercalation compound and a 10% acrylamide aqueous solution. The resulting intercalation compound showed a basal spacing of 11.3 Å. Infrared (IR) spectroscopy and 13 C nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy with cross polarization and magic angle spinning ( 13 C CP/MAS-NMR) indicated the re