KONDO Laboratory Nanomaterials science laboratory

About Research

　What are the most important elements of our resources, energy, and environmental problems, and how can we address them? How can we build a high-quality, safe, and happy society that continues to be bright, rich, and sustainable? Our answer is to develop, introduce, and disseminate innovative energy technologies that enable the stable, safe, and efficient acquisition of electrical energy at low cost by using abundant (non-precious) sources with no risk of damaging the environment.
　When developing catalyst and device materials that are indispensable for such innovative energy technologies, both breakthroughs that disrupt previous assumptions and the accumulation of empirical knowledge are critical for making improvements. Neither is a simple matter, but in both cases, I believe that basic science, i.e., understanding the behavior of molecules and atoms one by one, precisely, and understanding the properties of materials and the interaction between materials is very important. The next important thing is to not be bound by common sense. Obtained knowledge should be logically assembled with careful consideration, and sometimes a working hypothesis that becomes a new concept should be constructed. Then, this must be verified and further applied. I think by seriously applying such processes to the research and development of materials and technologies required by society, it is possible to not only innovatively improve existing technologies, but also to create new concepts, new materials, and new technologies that do not currently exist. I strongly believe that this process will lead to research that actually contributes to society.
　I will thus realize new materials, new technologies, new concepts, and new research areas to contribute the society.

Professor Takahiro Kondo