Prof. Hiroyasu TabeJapan
Kyoto University
| 2021 to present | | Institute for integrated cell-material sciences, Kyoto University |
| 2017 - 2021 | | Assistant professor, Osaka City University |
| 2015 - 2017 | | Kansai TLO, Co., Ltd. |
| 2025 | | The 14th JACI Prize for Young Researchers, The Japan Association for Chemical Innovation |
| 2025 | | Special Lectures from Outstanding Young Scientists, The 105th CSJ annual conference (Osaka), |
| 2015 | | Lecture Award, The 95th CSJ annual conference (Tokyo) |
Coordination chemistry, metal-organic frameworks, catalytic chemistry
Dr. Hiroyasu Tabe (田部 博康) is a specialist in coordination and catalytic chemistry, including the hybridization of catalysts with conductive materials using the fundamental aspects of phase transition behaviors of CP/MOFs. Recent progress demonstrates CO₂ reduction at elevated temperatures (>100 °C), an area in which conventional polymer electrolytes are not applicable.
Phase-transition MOFs for composite catalytic systems
TBA TBA
Metal–Organic Framework/TBA
Glasses of metal-organic frameworks (MOFs)/coordination polymers (CPs) are a new class of amorphous materials. Unlike MOF/CP crystals, the high formability of CP/MOF glasses into transparent, grain-boundary free monoliths and membranes makes them attractive for applications in catalytic systems. In this study, we focused on a coordination polymer, [Zn(HPO4)(H2PO4)2](imidazolium)2 (Zn-1). Zn-1 is in the liquid phase above the melting point at 155 °C and in the glassy state (Zn-1g) by rapid quenching to room temperature.
We dissolved Fe(tetraphenylporphyrin) chloride in the Zn-1 liquid and fabricated composite glass membranes using a knife-coating technique (Fe/Zn-1g).1 The transparent Fe/Zn-1g membranes showed photocatalytic CO2 reduction ability in the presence of 1,3-dimethyl-2-phenyl2,3-dihydro-1H-benzo[d]imida-zole (BIH) as a sacrificial electron donor. The activity was in proportion to the membrane thickness because of the CO2 permeability and high visible-light transparency.
Zn-1g shows anhydrous proton (H+)-conductivity at temperatures above 100 °C, in which phosphate and imidazolium ions work as H+ carriers. The H+-conductivity, formability and catalyst immobilization capability motivated us to prepare a membrane-electrode assembly (MEA) for gaseous CO2 reduction. The MEA consists of a Zn-1g membrane, an Au/C-immobilized Zn-1g, and a porous carbon as ion-conductive, catalyst, and gas-diffusion layers, respectively. The MEA operated gaseous CO₂ reduction to carbon monoxide (CO) by applying a negative potential at 120 °C, where conventional H+-conductive organic polymers are not available by the evaporation of water working as a H+ carrier.