Mr. Sho Fujii (Haga Laboratory; student in the doctoral program of Applied Chemistry) was awarded the Student Lecture Prize for his presentation of research results at the 90th Annual Spring Conference of the Chemical Society of Japan. The conference was held on the main campus of Kinki University for the 4 days from March 26th (Fri.) to March 29th (Mon.), 2010. Students in the doctoral program are eligible for the Student Lecture Prize. The prize is awarded to students whose lectures are outstanding in terms of content, presentation and treatment of Q&A, and who are considered to possess great potential for further research activities in the future. In order to select the winning lecture, 3 judges (1: program department director or program organizer from the relevant department, 2: official member recommended by program organizer, 3: lecture chairperson) attend the conference, listen to lectures and judge the presentations based on a grading sheet. These judging results are then used as a basis for selection by the Selection Committee, which is composed of members from the Annual Spring Conference Execution Committee. It is a great honor to be selected as the most outstanding lecture of Japan's largest chemistry-related research conference. Patent application is currently being conducted for Mr. Fujii's research results.

Research Title

Manipulation and Accumulation of Nanomaterials using Micro-Nano Bubbles

Research Overview

This research uses the small, single bubbles which are generated when infrared laser light irradiation is used to heat the thin gold film within a liquid solution. (The size of the bubbles is approximately 1 micro-meter. A micro is equal to one millionth of a meter.) Normally, small bubbles are extremely unstable and disappear quickly. However, the use of laser light irradiation makes it possible to periodically generate small bubbles. Additionally, the air-liquid interface of the bubbles is exposed to tension and a convection flow occurs around the bubble. By using this convection flow, it is possible to manipulate and accumulate nanomaterials (a nano is equal to one billionth) that cannot be directly grasped by hand. The stretching and immobilization of DNA was conducted as an example. DNA consists of molecules in a chain-like structure, and DNA is curled up within water. The ability to precisely stretch such DNA and to immobilize it at the desired position on a solid surface will lead to major contributions in medical gene analysis. In terms of engineering, such ability is expected to enable the creation of molecular wires and nano-devices. This research is the first method in the world to show free manipulation of stretching and immobilization of DNA by using the bubble.

Comment from Mr. Fujii

I am extremely honored to receive the Student Lecture Prize from the Chemical Society of Japan. To be honest, when I reflect back upon the start of my research, I could never have imagined such great results. The impetus for starting this research was my enrollment in a minor within the educational system of Chuo University graduate school. Through a minor, the lectures of many professors from outside of one's major can be attended in an omnibus form. This opportunity allowed me to learn many different things. I was particularly drawn to the research conducted by Professor Muneyuki of the Department of Physics. Immediately after attending Professor Muneyuki's lecture, I visited his laboratory and took a tour of the facilities (somewhat forcefully on my part). This led to the start of our joint research. At first, the research didn't proceed smoothly and no results were achieved. However, because the field was completely new to me, everyday was a series of discoveries. I enjoyed performing experiments ever day through a series of trial-and-error. Within such experiments, I happened to discover the fascinating phenomenon which is my current research theme. In order to apply this fascinating phenomenon to science, I received instruction from Professor Masaaki Haga, Professor Eiro Muneyuki and countless others. This Student Lecture Prize has inspired me to devote myself even more to my research in order to repay my debt to such individuals.

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