Staff

NAKAJIMA TasukuAssociate Professor

Laboratory
Laboratory of Soft & Wet Matter
Research Theme
Full control of structures, properties, and functions of gels
Research Keywords

gel, hierarchical structure, mechanochemistry, high toughness, liquid crystal, self-assembly

Overview of Research

My dream is to realize artificial functional soft materials that exceed the functions of living tissues.
Living tissues, which are soft and wet, can be classified as “gel materials” and show various excellent functions. On the other hand, artificial gel materials do not show such functions although they are also soft and wet materials like living tissues. To create artificial functional gels, I develop technologies for full control of the structure of gels, understand the structure-property relationship of gels, and use this knowledge to develop novel properties and functions for gels. Furthermore, I create novel functional gels by combining gels and technologies in the other field.
For example, I have created Achilles tendon-like tough gels by aligning the network strands of gels, extremely tough gels by moderate aggregation of the network strands of the gel, and muscle-like growable gels by force-induced chemical reactions within the gels.

Charge

Message

Gels show unlimited functions beyond our imagination by combination with other molecules and materials. Touch our gels and feel their amazing properties and possibilities!

Representative Publications

C. Imaoka, T. Nakajima, T. Indei, M. Iwata, W. Hong, A. Marcellan, J. P. Gong, “Inverse mechanical-swelling coupling of a highly deformed double-network gel”, Sci. Adv., 9, eabp8351 (2023).

S. Ohmura, T. Nakajima, M. Yoshida, J. P. Gong, “Squid/Synthetic Polymer Double-Network Gel: Elaborated Anisotropy and Outstanding Fracture Toughness Characteristics”, NPG Asia Mater., 15, 2 (2023)

Y. Z. Guo, T. Nakajima, M. T. I. Mredha, H. L. Guo, K. Cui, Y. Zheng, W. Cui, T. Kurokawa, J. P. Gong, ”Facile Preparation of Cellulose Hydrogel with Achilles Tendon-like Super Strength through Aligning Hierarchical Fibrous Structure”, Chem. Eng. J., 428, 132040 (2022)

T. Matsuda, R. Kawakami, R. Namba, T. Nakajima, J. P. Gong, “ Mechanoresponsive Self-growing Hydrogels Inspired by Muscle Training”, Science, 363, 504-508 (2019).

K. Hoshino, T. Nakajima, T. Matsuda, T. Sakai, J. P. Gong, “Network elasticity of a model hydrogel as a function of swelling ratio: from shrinking to extreme swelling states”, Soft Matter, 14, 9693-9701 (2018).

Refer to HOKKAIDO UNIVERSITY RESEARCHERS DIRECTORY

Note

<Office Hour>
– Time: Anytime during the lecture period
– Place: Frontier-AMLS, 3F
Please contact in advance by E-mail.
E-mail: tasuku[at]sci.hokudai.ac.jp

Affiliation