Hiroshi Yabu

Prof. Hiroshi Yabu is a Professor and Principal Investigator at the Advanced Institute for Materials Research (WPI-AIMR) at Tohoku University. His research interests include self-organization, biomimetics, and bio-inspired materials for energy and low environmental impacts.

Prof. Hiroshi Yabu is a Professor and Principal Investigator at the Advanced Institute for Materials Research (WPI-AIMR) as well as Deputy Director for the Open Innovation Center of Hydrogen Science for GX at Tohoku University. He cofounded AZUL Energy(株) and currently serves on the board as Chief Scientific Officer.

He received his Ph.D. from Hokkaido University. He taught at its Research Institute for Electronic Science (RIES) before moving to Tohoku University, where he eventually started his lab in 2016. His current scientific interests include self-organization, biomimetics, nano-structuring of functional materials and bio-inspired materials for energy and low environmental impacts.

While with Tohoku University, he concurrently served as a PRESTO Researcher at Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST) for Nanosystem & Function Emergence (2008-2012) and Molecular Technology & Creation of New Functions (2012 to 2016). Previously, he was a visiting researcher twice at RIKEN Institute.

He has been awarded for his work and contributions, including the 12th Bridgestone Soft Materials Frontier Award from The Society of Rubber Science and Technology Japan (2021), Ichimura Prize in Science (2016), and Young Scientists’ Prize, MEXT Japan (2014).

Selected links:

Blood and shells make green batteries - Asia Research News, March 10, 2023
Thermal biomass upgrading: Synthesizing new multifunctional catalysts - AIM Research Highlights, February 2023
https://www.techbriefs.com/component/content/article/tb/supplements/bet/briefs/47652
BBC TechXplore Japan Episode Two - BBC, October 29, 2022
Researchers Invent a New Hybrid Electrolyte for High Performance Li-ion Batteries - Asia Research News, 07 Sep 2022
Harnessing sea pineapples and blood waste for metal-air-battery catalysts - Science Daily, February 2022

Selected publications

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Bifunctional Rare Metal-Free Electrocatalysis Synthesized Entirely from Biomass Resources, H. Yabu, K. Ishibashi, M. S. Grewal, Y. Matsuo, N. Shoji and K. Ito, Science and Technology of Advanced Materials (STAM), 23(1) 31-40 (2022). DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/14686996.2021.2020597
Bridging pico-to-nanonewtons with a ratiometric force probe for nanoscale polymer physics before damage, R. Kotani, S. Yokoyama, S. Nobusue, S. Yamaguchi, A. Osuka, H. Yabu, S. Saito, Nature Communications, 13, 303 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-022-27972-y
Amphiphilic Perforated Honeycomb Films for Gravimetric Liquid Separation B. Chen, T. Wada, H. Yabu, Advanced Materials Interfaces, 9(1), 2101954 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1002/admi.202101954