Research Center for Thermal and Entropic Science

Research Center
for Thermal andEntropic Science

Introduction

Research Center for
Thermal and Entropic Science

Materials necessary for our life and society arecondensed systems of numerous number of atoms andmolecules which have various microscopic degrees of
freedom with quantum mechanical origins. Thesemicroscopic freedoms leads to a variety of physicalphenomena
throughvariousinter-molecularinteractions. These materials are treated as asthermodynamic
systemsinnaturalscience.
Furthermore, when we discuss nature andfunctionalities of a small number of molecules, it isnecessary to consider thermodynamic factor influenced
by their environment. Here also discussions ofthermodynamics are required. Studying macroscopic
phenomena from the standpoint of their microscopic
origins through the frameworks of thermodynamics
and static physics is fundamental method of naturalscience.
This center aims at understanding nature of materials
hierarchically from the above viewpoints byperforming precise experimental measurements ofthermodynamic quantities such as entropy, enthalpy
and Gibbs energy. Downsizing of the measurement
systems and developing new measurements undervarious external environmental conditions are also thepurpose of our research. This is a fundamental research
center of thermal science with extremely uniquecharacteristics that promotes the development of newsubstances and the development of new phenomena.
The center has various distinctive measuringapparatus and devices with their experimental andanalytic techniques. The phase relation and thermalexcitations of various molecular assemblies, forexample,
molecularmagnetics,
molecularsuperconductors, spin clusters, single molecularmagnets, liquid crystals, and glasses etc. We also
develop thermal science for various non-equilibrium
systems such as biomolecules of proteins, enzymes,nucleic acids, polymers, solutions, nano-structurematerials, etc. Collaborative researches with domestic
and oversea institutes are underway.

Research Projects

1. Thermodynamic investigation of molecule-basedmagnets.

2. Motions of loosely bound atoms and molecules inCrystal.

3. Dynamics and hydration of biomolecules andmacromolecules.

4. Structure and thermodynamics of two-dimensional
solids formed at various interfaces.

Graduate School of Science
2023-2024

Research Center for Thermal and Entropic ScienceThe History and Future Scope of the Center

The “Chemical Thermodynamics Laboratory” was founded in 1979 by Prof. Syûzô Seki to study various
physicochemical
Research Centerproblems including phase transitions, critical phenomena and molecular energetics. In 1989, thiscenter
was succeeded by the “Microcalorimetry Research Center” to expand the project to wider area. TheforStructural“ResearchCenter for Molecular Thermodynamics” was founded in 1999 to explore thermodynamics of functional
Thermodynamics
molecules and it was succeeded by “Research Center for Structural Thermodynamics” from 2009. In 2019,“Research Center for Thermal and Entropic Science” was founded to perform another ten years project by focusing
on fundamental understanding materials and developing new materials and new phenomena occur in multi-scales innature. The aim of the center is to dedicate to fundamental science based on accurate measurements of enthalpy
and entropy. International collaboration is also significant task of the center.

Organization of the Center

Graduate School of Science
2023-2024