Development of New Nanocomposite Thin Film with High Refractive Index

- Improvement of Durability of Polymer-Based Film against Light -

A research group led by Professor Mikio Konno at Graduate School of Engineering, Tohoku University has succeeded in development of a nanocomposite film with a high refractive index and a high durability against high-energy light irradiation such as ultraviolet.

 Titanium oxide nanoparticles known for high refractive index materials have been used as a filler for increasing refractive index of films. However, titanium oxides have a peculiar photocatalytic activity, which causes degradation of polymer in a composite film. The research
group has developed a nanocomposite film by using barium titanate that has a larger energy band gap than titanium oxides. Use of the nanoparticle filler of barium titanate led to the development of a nanocomposite film with refractive index as high as titanium oxide filler.

 The nanocomposite film is highly transparent and expected to be applied to optics seals and optical coating materials. Another practical use of the nanocomposite film is transparent, flexible capacitors, because the polymer-based film incorporates barium titanate nanoparticles with a high dielectric property.

[Contact]
Professor Mikio Konno
Material Processing, Chemical Process Engineering
Department of Chemical Engineering at Graduate School of Engineering, Tohoku University
Address: 6-6-07 Aoba Aramaki Aoba-word, Sendai, Miyagi 980-8579, Japan　
Tel: +81-22-795-7239, Fax: +81-22-795-7241
E-mail: konno@mickey.che.tohoku.ac.jp

Associate Professor Daisuke Nagao
Tel: +81-22-795-7242
E-mail: nagao@mickey.che.tohoku.ac.jp