Cu/ZnO catalysts integrated with AlO and/or SiO for methanol synthesis; Deciphering the additive-induced boost in catalytic performance by XAFS

Iwasaki, Kosei*; Ashida, Yuya*; Matsumura, Daiju; Kawakami, Kotaro*; Shibuya, Kana*; Tazawa, Masaru*; Tsuji, Takuya; Shimizu, Hajime*

Journal of CO Utilization, 97, p.103111_1 - 103111_9, 2025/07

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jcou.2025.103111

Experimental verification to developing safety technology for liquefied hydrogen in the project "STACY"

Tanaka, Hirohisa*; Matsumura, Daiju; 10 of others*

International Journal of Hydrogen Energy, 141, p.1088 - 1097, 2025/06

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijhydene.2025.01.284

Nickel binding with magnetite nanoparticles

Fablet, L.*; Pdrot, M.*; Choueikani, F.*; Kieffer, I.*; Proux, O.*; Pierson-Wickmann, A.-C.*; Cagniart, V.*; Yomogida, Takumi; Marsac, R.*

Environmental Science; Nano, 12(5), p.2815 - 2827, 2025/05

https://doi.org/10.1039/d4en01114g

Nickel is an omnipresent trace element in the environment. Due to its high affinity for iron oxide nanoparticles, its elimination from soils and water by these nanoparticles represents an interesting strategy, specially by magnetites, which is naturally present in the environment. However, the interactions between Ni and magnetite are poorly understood, because of the difficulty to control the stoichiometry (Fe(II)-to-Fe(III) ratio) of magnetite. The behavior of Ni in the presence of magnetite nanoparticles with different stoichiometries, in aqueous solution and inert atmosphere, are probed by adsorption experiments and X-ray Absorption Spectroscopy. This study helps predicting the interactions between Ni and magnetite in environmental conditions, which can be used for the development of efficient remediation strategies.

Local structure analysis of heavy fermion CePtGa with a honeycomb structure using extended X-ray absorption fine structure

Matsumoto, Yuji*; Watabe, Yuki*; Iesari, F.*; Osumi, Masakatsu*; Ota, Kyugo*; Haga, Yoshinori; Hatada, Keisuke*; Okajima, Toshihiko*

Metals, 15(4), p.436_1 - 436_13, 2025/04

https://doi.org/10.3390/met15040436

Molecular geochemistry developed by fluorescence XAFS using high energy resolution fluorescence X-ray detection

Yomogida, Takumi; Takahashi, Yoshio*

Chikyu Kagaku, 59(1), p.1 - 10, 2025/03

https://doi.org/10.14934/chikyukagaku.59.1

X-ray absorption fine structure XAFS spectroscopy techniques, which are applicable to almost all elements, provide information on elemental valence and local structure with high elemental selectivity and high sensitivity. It has become an indispensable method in space geochemistry and environmental chemistry. This review presents examples of the application of fluorescence XAFS methods to elements that are difficult to detect by conventional methods, and examples where new chemical species information has been obtained by increasing the energy resolution of the X-ray fluorescence (XRF) detection system to obtain XAFS.

Valence separation of Fe and removal of Sn by solvent extraction as a potential method to determine Fe in glass containing Sn

Kanno, Naoki*; Nakase, Masahiko*; Saijo, Yoshitaka*; Matsumura, Daiju; Tsuji, Takuya; Takeshita, Kenji*; Tsukahara, Takehiko*

Progress in Nuclear Science and Technology (Internet), 7, p.154 - 160, 2025/03

https://dx.doi.org/10.15669/pnst.7.154

Stabilizing the unstable; Enhancing OER durability with 3-orbital transition metal multielemental alloy nanoparticles by atomically dispersed 4-orbital Pd for a 100-fold extended lifetime

Zhu, B.*; Huang, S.*; Seo, O.*; Cao, M.*; Matsumura, Daiju; Gu, H.*; Wu, D.*

Journal of the American Chemical Society, 147(13), p.11250 - 11256, 2025/02

https://doi.org/10.1021/jacs.4c18109

Fluorous and organic extraction systems; A Comparison from the perspectives of coordination structures, interfaces, and bulk extraction phases

Ueda, Yuki; Micheau, C.; Akutsu, Kazuhiro*; Tokunaga, Kohei; Yamada, Masako*; Yamada, Norifumi*; Bourgeois, D.*; Motokawa, Ryuhei

Langmuir, 40(46), p.24257 - 24271, 2024/11

https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.langmuir.4c02268

Microscopic structures in liquid-liquid extraction, such as structuration between extractants or extracted complexes in bulk organic phases and at interfaces, can influence macroscopic phenomena, such as the distribution behavior of solutes, including extraction efficiency, selectivity, and phase separation of the organic phase. In this study, we correlated the macroscopic behavior of the extraction of Zr(IV) ions from nitric acid solutions with microscopic structural information in order to understand at the molecular level the key factors contributing to the higher metal ion extraction performance in the fluorous extraction system comprising fluorous phosphate (TFP) in perfluorohexane as compared to the analogous organic extraction system comprising organic phosphate (THP) in n-hexane. Extended X-ray absorption fine structure, neutron reflectometry, and small-angle neutron scattering revealed the local coordination structure around the Zr(IV) ion, the accumulation of extractant molecules at the interface, and the structuration of extractant molecules in the bulk extraction phase, respectively. In the fluorous extraction system, extractant aggregates with were formed after contact with nitric acid. In contrast, in the organic extraction system, only extractant dimers were formed. We speculate that differences in the local coordination structure around the Zr(IV) ion and the structuration of the extractant molecules in the bulk extraction phase contribute to the high Zr(IV) extraction performance in the fluorous extraction system. In particular, the size of the aggregates hardly changed with increasing Zr(IV) concentration in the fluorous phase, which may be closely related to the absence of phase splitting in the fluorous extraction system.

Nearly linear orbital molecules on a pyrochlore lattice

Krajewska, A.*; Tsuji, Takuya; Matsumura, Daiju; 15 of others*

Science Advances (Internet), 10(41), p.eadn3880_1 - eadn3880_10, 2024/10

https://doi.org/10.1126/sciadv.adn3880

What makes black lacquer black?; A Challenge in Developing Traditional Japanese Lacquer Technology into Advanced Science

Nankawa, Takuya

Kagaku, 79(8), p.48 - 52, 2024/08

Lacquer is a natural paint with excellent water and chemical resistance. It has long been known that adding a very small amount of iron into raw lacquer produces a very beautiful black color called Shikoku. However, the structure and reactions of lacquer are still largely unknown, and the reason of black color is also unclear. In this study, we analyzed the structure of raw lacquer and black lacquer films by using different kind of quantum beams. As a result, black lacquer has a completely different nanostructure from raw lacquer, and that the color changes depending on the difference in the structure. This result is the first successful analysis of the structure of the lacquer film, which had been a mystery for many years. This commentary describes this research and also explains how this research has been proceeded.