Chiral Symmetry Breaking in Magnetoelectrolysis Processes

2022 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 19K05230
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 28050:Nano/micro-systems-related
• Research Institution: Tohoku University
• Principal Investigator: Mogi Iwao 東北大学, 金属材料研究所, 助教 (50210084)
• Project Period (FY): 2019-04-01 – 2023-03-31
• Keywords: マイクロ渦流 / ゆらぎ / キラリティ / 対称性の破れ / 磁気電気化学 / アミノ酸

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Electrodeposition under magnetic fields (magneto-electrodeposition) is able to produce chiral surfaces on metal films. The surface chirality exhibits “odd chirality”, that is, the reversal of magnetic fields causes the opposite chiral sign. In this study, we conducted a lot of magneto-electrodeposition experiments with various conditions, such as the change of magnetic fields and electrode diameters, specific adsorption, and cell rotation. The breaking of odd chirality was found in several special conditions where the micro-magnetohydrodynamic vortices could be fluctuated. This finding indicates that the fluctuation in the self-organized state could be the origin of chiral symmetry breaking.

Free Research Field

磁気科学，電気化学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

鉱物の結晶成長や溶解過程で生じる界面のキラリティは，生命の起源，ホモキラリティなどと深く関わる極めて重要な研究テーマである．本研究では，磁気電析系において奇のキラリティの破れがマイクロ渦流のゆらぎに起因することを見出した．このことは「キラル対称性の破れが自己組織化状態におけるゆらぎに起因する」という普遍的な概念へと発展する可能性があり，学術的な意義は極めて大きい．