Professor Hirohisa TANAKA

Hirohisa TANAKA was born in Osaka, Japan in 1957. In 1980 he graduated from Kyoto Institute of Technology and Arts, and in 1998 he received Doctor of Engineering degree from The University of Tokyo. From 1989 to 2016 he worked at Daihatsu Motor Co., Ltd. as Executive Scientist. He has been working on materials development of gas conversion catalysts, fuel cells and thermoelectricity materials. The intelligent catalyst, having the self-healing function, as his masterpiece, track record of his practical catalysts that have been mounted on a vehicle is more than 10 millions. Currently, in cooperation with the national and international industry, government and academia, he is continued working on research and development of direct hydrazine fuel cells, automotive catalysts, and hydrogen recombination catalysts.

Chemistry of catalysis

What kind of technology and energy will support the daily life of 100 years after? The vision shows us the way to do research. Tanaka laboratory has developed the new functional nano-materials, such as automotive catalysts, fuel cells and hydrogen recombination catalysts, for sustainable energy in cooperation with the national and international industry, government and academia.

担当科目一覧

1. Nano-chemistry II

KEYWORD

Materials Design, Catalyst, Precious Metal
Fuel Cell, Energy Conversion

研究テーマ

Research in details

What kind of the world will be desirable 100 years after? The technology and the energy for supporting the future daily life are considered along a flow in time, and the road map to reach there is drawn to establish the research theme. Of course, the theme for 100 years after won’t wrestle right now. That shows us the way to go as the Polaris. A study can carry step by step along the way.
In order to achieve “Mastery for Service”, Tanaka laboratory has developed the new functional nano-materials in cooperation with the national and international industry, government and academia.

1. “Intelligent catalyst” which has self-healing function for automotive emission control.
2. “Hydrogen recombination catalyst” which prevents a hydrogen explosion.
3. “Direct Hydrazine Fuel cell” which generates electricity directly from the liquid fuel.
4. “Thermoelectric” which generates electricity at a temperature change, instead of the traditional spatial temperature difference.

“The answer is not the only one!” You should face the answerless question (Aporia) in the real society. And you’d experience to make a question by yourself and be disturbed by your own question. You are expected to be unsatisfied with the only one answer, and to experience the pleasure to seek for another solution while changing the precondition. By considering diversity, the research theme is being excited out infinitely. I wish everyone to experience it by all means

List of collaborations

Daihatsu Motor Co., Ltd., Japan Atomic Energy Agency, National Institutes for Quantum and Radiological Science and Technology