In our laboratory, following research issues are covered based on "Separation Engineering", "Advance Material", "Analytical Chemistry", and "Computational Chemistry" as key technologies. As for the separation process issue, development of novel separation materials, quantitative analyses of the separation system as well as process design are consistently investigated.

1. Selective Recovery Process of Rare Metals from New Resources.

Rare metals are indispensable resources to improve technology industries. Development of supply route of the rare metals in our own country is important to secure metal resources. In our laboratory, separation and recovery of rare metals (lithium and boron) from seawater, hot spring water, and brine are investigated using ion exchange method.

Reference: Selective recovery of lithium from seawater.

2. Separation and Recovery Process of Rare Metals from Waste Materials.

In recent years, waste materials containing rare metals are recognized as "Urban Mines" and are paid attention as novel rare metal resources. In our laboratory, separation and recovery of rare metals, especially precious group metals (Pt, Pd, Rh), lanthanides (La, Ce), Li and Co, from catalyst of waste vehicle and waste lithium ion battery are investigated using ion exchange and solvent extraction methods.

3. Removal Process of Hazardous Substances.

Hazardous substances are often contained in the waste solution from the industry, and “End of Pipe Technology” which the substances are removed before outlet of factories is required. In our laboratory, removal processes of organic compounds, such as organic amines, from the industrial waste as well as inorganic compounds, such as arsenic and boron, in environmental water are investigated, especially employing adsorption method.

4. Micro Total Analysis System Based on Flow Injection Analysis.

Micro total analysis system (μTAS) based on the flow channel in micron order is recently paid much attention. In our laboratory, flow injection analysis (FIA) is integrated on a micro chip, together with the separation and concentration of the analyte, and novel sensitive and selective analytical system is developed.

Reference: Urinary Assay Using Micro Flow Injection Analysis.

5. Computational Chemistry for Solvent Extraction System.

A plenty of experiments for long period, such as screenings, has been required to develop novel separation materials. In our laboratory, quantitative structure-property relationship (QSPR) between the metal ion and extractant in the solvent extraction system is to be revealed using molecular mechanics (MM) and molecular dynamics (MD) methods, for the molecular modeling of the extractant as well as for the understanding the separation process.

Reference: MM/HD Hybrid Calculations for Predicting the Selective Extraction of Metallic Ion.