INTERFACE SPECTROSCOPY GROUP
Developments of novel interface-selective nonlinear spectroscopies and elucidations of molecular mechanisms of interfacial phenomena
Satoshi Nihonyanagi
Emergences of novel experimental techniques often open new doors for finding new phenomena as well as unknown mechanisms, especially for microscopic elucidations. In our group, by developing new techniques based on the even-order nonlinear optics, we investigate the structures and dynamics of molecules at interfaces. Our studies are opening up a new field of interfacial science.
Research outline
The static and dynamic properties of molecules at interfaces have attracted much attention in a wide range of scientific fields. It is known that interfaces have unique properties that differ substantially from those in bulk materials. However, microscopic mechanisms of such interfacial phenomena are hardly understood even today. Even very simple questions, such as how are the structure and orientation of water molecules at the air/water interface, have not been answered until 10 years ago. Even-order nonlinear spectroscopic methods are the most powerful techniques for the investigation of molecular properties at interfaces. These methods are based on an even-order nonlinear susceptibility χ(2n) (n=1,2,…), which allows us to probe molecules specifically at interfaces where inversion symmetry is necessarily broken. In our group, by developing new techniques based on the even-order nonlinear optics, we investigate the structures and dynamics of molecules at interfaces. These novel techniques allow us to find various kinds of new physical insights associated with interfacial science, opening up a new way to study interfacial science. Recently, we are focusing on three major themes: (1) Ultrafast hydrogen bond dynamics of water at aqueous interfaces. (2) Photochemical reaction dynamics at interfaces. and (3) Structure-function relation at complex interfaces.
Projects
Development of novel interface-selective nonlinear spectroscopies
Interface properties studied by the use of various probe molecules
Hydrogen bonds at model biological interfaces
Hydrogen bond dynamics at the air/water interface
Photochemical reaction dynamics at interfaces
Structure-Function relation of buried solid/liquid interfaces
Further extension of our technique to electrode interfaces and its applications
Members
Satoshi Nihonyanagi (group leader)
Ahmed Mohammed
Woongmo Sung
Sanat Ghosh
Atsushi Sayama
Selected publications
- S. Nihonyanagi, S. Yamaguchi, T. Tahara
Ultrafast Dynamics at Water Interfaces Studied by Vibrational Sum-Frequency Generation Spectroscopy
Chem. Rev. 117, 10665−10693 (2017). - K. MATSUZAKI, R. KUSAKA, S. NIHONYANAGI, S. YAMAGUCHI, T. NAGATA and T. TAHARA
Partially hydrated electrons at the air/water interface observed by UV-excited time-resolved heterodyne-detected vibrational sum frequency generation spectroscopy
J. Am. Chem. Soc. 6, 138, 7551-7557 (2016). - P. C. SINGH, K. INOUE, S. NIHONYANAGI, S. YAMAGUCHI and T. TAHARA
Femtosecond hydrogen-bond dynamics of bulk-like and bound water at positively and negatively charged lipid interfaces revealed by 2D HD-VSFG spectroscopy
Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 55, 10621-10625 (2016). - S. NIHONYANAGI, S. YAMAGUCHI, T. TAHARA
Counterion effect on interfacial water at charged interfaces and its relevance to the hofmeister series
J. Am. Chem. Soc. 136, 6155-6158 (2014). - S. NIHONYANAGI, S. YAMAGUCHI and T. TAHARA
Direct evidence for orientational flip-flop of water molecules at charged interfaces: a heterodyne-detected vibrational sum frequency generation study
J. Chem. Phys. 130, 20, 204704 (2009).