RIKEN Center for Sustainable Resource Science Biofunctional Catalyst Research Team
Team Leader: Ryuhei Nakamura (D.Sc.)
Research Summary
We work on the development of biologically inspired catalysts and their application to energy conversion and production systems. Specifically, we attempt to exploit the nature’s ingenuities of multielectron catalytic reaction, electron/proton transport, metabolic regulation, flexible response to external stimuli, and the robust energy management in a deep sea environment to develop the novel materials and systems necessary to effectively manage renewable energy sources.
For more information, please visit the following link: Biofunctional Catalyst Research Team
Main Research Fields
- Chemistry
Related Research Fields
- Environmental Science
- Complex Systems
- Biology
Keywords
- electrocatalyst and catalyst theory
- enzymatic reaction
- H2 production by water electrolysis
- energy conversion at deep-sea hydrothermal vents
- Environmental diagnosis for marine ecosystems
Selected Publications
Papers with an asterisk(*) are based on research conducted outside of RIKEN.
- 1.
A. Li, S. Kong, C. Guo, H. Ooka, K. Adachi, D. Hashizume, Q. Jiang, H. Han, J. Xiao, R. Nakamura:
"Enhancing the stability of cobalt spinel oxide towards sustainable oxygen evolution in acid”
Nat. Catal., 2022, 5, 109-118(2022) - 2.
H. Ooka, M. E. Wintzer, R. Nakamura:
"Non-zero binding enhances kinetics of catalysis: machine learning analysis on the experimental hydrogen binding energy of platinum"
ACS Catal., 11, 6298-6303(2021) - 3.
D. He, H. Ooka, Y. Kim, Y. Li, F. Jin, S. H. Kim, R. Nakamura:
"Atomic-scale evidence for highly selective electrocatalytic N−N coupling on metallic MoS2"
Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A., 117, 31631-31638(2020) - 4.
R. Hudson, R.Graaf, M. Rodin, A.Ohno, N. Lane, S. E. McGlynn, Y. M. A. Yamada, R. Nakamura, L. M. Barge, D. Braun, V. Sojo:
"CO2 reduction driven by a pH gradient"
Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A., 117, 22873-22879(2020) - 5.
Y. Li, Y. K. Go, H. Ooka, D. He, F. Jin, S. H. Kim, R. Nakamura:
"Enzyme mimetic active intermediates for nitrate reduction in neutral aqueous media"
Angew. Chem., Int. Ed., 59, 9744-9750(2020) - 6.
A. Li, H. Ooka, N. Bonnet, T. Hayashi, Y. Sun, Q. Jiang, C. Li, H. Han, R. Nakamura:
"Stable potential windows for long-term electrocatalysis by manganese oxides under acidic conditions"
Angew. Chem., Int. Ed., 58, 5054-5058(2019) - 7.
D. He, Y. Li, H. Ooka, Y. K. Go, F. Jin, S. H. Kim, R. Nakamura:
"Selective electrocatalytic reduction of nitrite to dinitrogen based on decoupled proton-electron transfer"
J. Am. Chem. Soc., 140, 2012-2015(2018) - 8.
A. Yamaguchi, R. Inuzuka, T. Takashima, T. Hayashi, K. Hashimoto, R. Nakamura:
"Regulating proton-coupled electron transfer for efficient water splitting by manganese oxides at neutral pH"
Nat. Commun., 5:4256(2014) - 9.
*A. Okamoto, K. Hashimoto, K. H. Nealson, R. Nakamura:
"Rate enhancement of bacterial extracellular electron transport involves bound flavin semiquinones"
Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A., 110, 7856-7861(2013) - 10.
*R. Nakamura, T. Takashima, S. Kato, K. Takai, M. Yamamoto, K. Hashimoto:
"Electrical current generation across a black smoker chimney"
Angew. Chem. Int. Ed., 49, 7692-7694(2010)
Recent Research Results
Jun. 24, 2022
Cracking green hydrogen energy
May 20, 2021
Nickel atom aids carbon dioxide reduction
Apr. 3, 2020
A friendlier way to deal with nitrate pollution
Apr. 14, 2017
Smaller is better for water-splitting catalyst
Mar. 10, 2017
Probing the stability of photosynthesis
Aug. 8, 2014
Bioinspired catalyst splits water
Jun. 30, 2014
Insights from nature for more efficient water splitting
Oct. 25, 2013
Natural deep-sea batteries
Related Links
Lab Members
Principal investigator
- Ryuhei Nakamura
- Team Leader
Core members
- Yoko Chiba
- Senior Scientist
- Hideshi Ooka
- Research Scientist
- Hye-Eun Lee
- Special Postdoctoral Researcher
- Ailong Li
- Postdoctoral Researcher
- Shuang Kong
- Postdoctoral Researcher
- Koichi Yatsuzuka
- Postdoctoral Researcher
- Marie Wintzer
- Technical Staff I
Careers
| Position | Deadline |
|---|---|
| Seeking a few Research Scientists or Postdoctoral Researchers (W22178) | Open until filled |
| Seeking a Postdoctoral Researcher or Research Scientist (W22117) | Open until filled |
| Seeking a Postdoctoral Researcher or Research Scientist (W22116) | Open until filled |
Contact Information
S103, Sustainable Resource Science Building,
2-1 Hirosawa, Wako, Saitama 351-0198, Japan
Email: ryuhei.nakamura [at] riken.jp