Pioneering Inorganic Soft Viscous Crystals Generated by Slow Dynamics of Self-Assembled Molecules

2023 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 20H02604
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (B)
• Allocation Type: Single-year Grants
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 29010:Applied physical properties-related
• Research Institution: Nagoya University
• Principal Investigator: Katayama Naoyuki 名古屋大学, 工学研究科, 准教授 (50623758)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): 山内 徹 東京大学, 物性研究所, 技術専門員 (10422445) ; 齋藤 晃 名古屋大学, 未来材料・システム研究所, 教授 (50292280) ; 太田 幸則 千葉大学, 大学院理学研究院, 名誉教授 (70168954)
• Project Period (FY): 2020-04-01 – 2023-03-31
• Keywords: 格子ダイナミクス / 放射光X線 / 構造解析

Outline of Final Research Achievements

A state in which the molecules have an ordered center of gravity but not an ordered orientation is called a "soft viscous crystal," and has been actively studied mainly in the field of organic molecular crystals. In this study, we have developed a new inorganic material, "inorganic soft-viscous crystal," which exhibits molecular dynamics belonging to such soft-viscous crystals. As a result, we succeeded in developing several candidate inorganic soft-viscous crystals, such as LiVSe2 and LiRh2O4, and reported them in a paper. Using synchrotron radiation X-rays, they also succeeded in capturing what appeared to be the dynamics of fluctuations in inorganic soft-viscous crystals. We believe that we have succeeded in achieving results that will serve as the basis for proposing a new material called "inorganic soft-viscous crystals" to the world.

Free Research Field

固体物性

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

本研究課題で取り扱った無機柔粘性結晶とは、無機材料中において構成元素が自発的に集合して作られた分子が、配向や分布を時間依存して変化させる状態である。これは、従来の分子性材料で研究される柔粘性結晶状態とは明確に異なる状態であり、無機柔粘性結晶からは新しい電子状態や機能が創出される可能性がある。本研究では、こうした無機柔粘性結晶が普遍的に実現しうるものであることを物質開拓を通じて明らかにすることができた。