PRODUCTION OF HIGH PERFORMANCE NANOMATERIALS IN MICROGRAVITY (NANOSKELETON)
Research Area: Materials Science
Expedition(s): 21- 24
Principal Investigator(s): ● Masahiko Abe, PhD, Tokyo University of Science, Tokyo, Japan
RESEARCH OBJECTIVES
The Production of High Performance Nanomaterials in Microgravity (Nanoskeleton)
investigation aims to clarify the effect of gravity on oil flotation, sedimentation, and convection
on crystals generated in microgravity. Nanoskeleton data will be added into a computational
chemistry simulation for Nanoskeleton synthesis, and the simulation will be used for the
prediction of the proper parameters for synthesis on the ground.
EARTH BENEFIT
Nanoskeleton will lead to the development of the new Titanium Dioxide (TiO 2 ) photocatalyst.
The experiment data will be input into the computational chemistry simulation for
Nanoskeleton synthesis, and the simulation will be applied for the prediction of the proper
parameter for Nanoskeleton synthesis on the ground.
RESULTS
Samples were flown aboard the International Space Station (ISS), whereupon polyethylene
based films were immersed in a solution to create the TiO 2 crystalline-based nanoskeleton
samples. Some of the samples were infused with Trimethylbenzene (TMB) and
Triethylbenzene(TEB) oil in order to increase the size of the pores of the nanoskeleton. All
samples were successfully retrieved from the ISS and analyzed. The appearance of the ISS
samples subjected to microgravity was almost the same with that of the Earth bound control
samples. However, the microgravity environment samples revealed a significant effect on the
distance between pores of the nanoskeletons prepared with oil (TMB and TEB), while
uniformity and regularity of the pores was improved for the samples prepared without TMB. It
was also noted that samples with more ordered structures had improved photo catalytic
activity.
PUBLICATION(S)
Onodera M, Nagumo R, Miura R, et al. Multiscale simulation of dye-sensitized solar cells
considering Schottky barrier effect at photoelectrode. Japanese Journal of Applied Physics. April
20, 2011; 50(4):04DP06. doi: 10.1143/JJAP.50.04DP06.
Shibata H, Ohshika S, Ogura T, et al. Preparation and photocatalytic activity under visible light
irradiation of mesostructured titania particles modified with phthalocyanine in the pores.
Journal of Photochemistry and Photobiology A: Chemistry. January 2011; 217(1):136-140. doi:
10.1016/j.jphotochem.2010.09.029.