Kyushu University · Materials Science
Professor Takuya Kitaoka's research lab specializes in the design and fabrication of sustainable, bio-based nanomaterials with advanced functionalities. The lab focuses on developing novel hybrid materials by integrating natural polymers—particularly cellulose and its derivatives—with metal and metal oxide nanoparticles, enabling applications in catalysis, gas separation, and biomedical engineering. Key research directions include topochemical synthesis of noble metal nanoparticles on cellulose nanofibers, MOF hybridization on oxidized cellulose, and the creation of functional paper-like materials with antibacterial and catalytic properties. The lab emphasizes green synthesis strategies using natural resources and environmentally benign processes to address challenges in resource efficiency and sustainability.
Figures are computed from collected data and may differ slightly.
Topochemical synthesis of gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) was achieved on crystalline cellulose single nanofibers (CSNFs), which were tailored from native cellulose. Exposed AuNPs@CSNFs composite exhibited an excellent catalytic efficiency: the turnover frequency of the AuNPs@CSNFs was up to 840 times that of conventional polymer-supported AuNPs, for a model aqueous reduction reaction. Our novel strategy provides a promising solution to realize efficient use of limited noble metals using natural bior
Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) are synthesized at carboxy groups on crystalline TEMPO-oxidized cellulose nanofibers (TOCNs). MOF-TOCN films coated on a paper filter have a hierarchical structure from the nano- to macroscale, and demonstrate a high CO2 /CH4 selectivity, over 120 for CO2 at a high gas flux, by the combination of the nanoporous MOFs and the gas-barrier TOCNs, which have strong affinity with each other.
Silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) were successfully synthesized in situ on a paper matrix composed of ceramic fibers as the main framework and zinc oxide (ZnO) whiskers as a selective support for AgNPs. Paper-like ceramic fiber/ZnO whisker composites were prepared in advance using a high-speed, low-cost papermaking technique, then immersed in an aqueous solution of silver nitrate for 6 h. AgNPs with particle size 5–20 nm were spontaneously formed on the ZnO whiskers through selective ion-exchange bet
The structural and functional design of metal nanoparticles has recently allowed remarkable progress in the development of high-performance catalysts. Gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) are among the most innovative catalysts, despite bulk Au metal being regarded as stable and inactive. The hybridization of metal NPs has attracted major interest in the field of advanced nanocatalysts, due to electro-mediated ligand effects. In practical terms, metal NPs need to be supported on a suitable matrix to avoid
Abstract Highly porous three‐dimensional (3D) scaffolds can mimic the lobular structure of a human liver where hepatocytes are organized. However, 3D scaffolds with uniformly porous and oriented structures are challenging to fabricate without cross‐linking agents. Herein, this work presents a Pickering emulsion‐induced interface approach to construct aligned porous scaffolds for 3D cell cultures through the combined use of surface‐carboxylated cellulose nanofibers and chitosan nanofibers as stab
Open papers in the app to read, cite, and organize with AI.
