Research Center for Materials Science

Molecules are composed of a limited number of atoms, but diverse molecular functions are obtained by precisely controlling the compositon and bonding of the atoms and their spatial arrangements. More than 10 million molecules are known so far, their sizes ranging from nanometers to millimeters and amounts produced ranging from picograms for some compounds isolated from brain to several billion tons per year for carbon dioxide. The design and creation of new functional materials at will, should preferably be based on detailed information about the properties of various molecules. All members of the Research Center devote their energy to research on organic syntheses, inorganic syntheses, functional materials, biomaterials and molecular catalysis. The resulting achievements are the basis for the creation of novel functional materials surpassing existing ones, which will be essential for the development of new technology and a key to the successful international contribution of Japan as a nation of science and technology.