Greeting
Launch of Transformative Area Research
“Hyper-Ordered Structure Science”
Once, materials science of Japan is one of strong scientific areas, and Japan had led the world’s scientific community in this area. However, recently, its presence has been decreasing rapidly because of the rise of other Asian countries. To overcome this situation, it is important for Japan to venture into unexplored areas of materials science based on analytical technology, in which it is still a world leader.
Area overview
The target of this transformative research area, “hyper-ordered structures”, refers to unique nanostructures composed of dopants, vacancies, and voids. Examples of hyper-ordered structures are complex defects comprising different elements and vacancies, not point defects, and atomistic network structures that show a topological order even in glasses. Such nanoscale orders, namely, hyper-ordered structures, can also be regarded as interphases between perfect crystals and perfect amorphous. Hyper-ordered structures can be an essential factor in adding high functionality to various materials. In other words, hyper-ordered structures can be a treasure trove of material functionality. The control of these structures will open up the developments of next generation materials. In this research area, we will explore highly functional materials through the observation, understanding, and study of the control of hyper-ordered structures.
Planning Group
A01-1
Development of Hyper-ordered Structures with Emergent Functionalities
Synthesis, structural analyses, and elucidation of a structure-property relationship of hyper-ordered structures toward a development of emergent functionalities.
A01-2
Development of synthetic process based on a library of hyper-ordered materials for social implementation
Through the advanced control of “hyper-ordered structures”, this planned research group will work on deepening material synthesis processes and finding applications that can directly benefit society.
A02-1
Element-specific measurement of atomic structure in complex materials over multiple length-scales
Synchrotron X-ray measurements in a synergetic combination with neutron and electron diffraction experiments for investigating “hyper-ordered structures”. Our first mission in the project is the development of a synchrotron high-throughput element-specific instrument for the measurement of atomic structure in complex materials over multiple length-scales.
A02-2
Measurements of Macro-scale properties and local electronic states on hyper-ordered materials
Through the development of advanced photo electron holography, atomic structures and electronic states of hyper-ordered structures are simultaneously measured. Physical properties of glasses including their liquid states are measured using the state-of- the-art facilities.
A03-1
Elucidation and design of hyper-ordered structures by electronic structure calculations
Elucidation and prediction of the detailed structure, physical properties, and reactivity of “hyper-ordered materials” with high accuracy using theoretical calculations.
A03-2
Comprehensive analysis of hyper-ordered structures based on mathematics and informatics
Development of informatics methods for identifying structures (atomic configurations) and for predicting material properties of hyper-ordered materials. These methods can contribute for rational material designs of hyper-ordered materials.