Yoshiaki Akutsu / Associate Professor / Division of Environmental Studies Department of Environment Systems / / Environmental reaction chemistry, Atmospheric environment, Emission sources, Energetic materials http://geelhome.k.u-tokyo.ac.jp/ Career Summary 1980: Graduated, Faculty of Engineering, The University of Tokyo 1985: Doctor of Engineering from The University of Tokyo 1985: Research Associate, Seikei University 1988: Research Associate, The University of Tokyo 1999: Associate Professor, The University of Tokyo Educational Activities Graduate school:Environmental and Material Systems Undergraduate:Practical Training for Computer Science Research Activities Environmental Reaction Chemistry We are conducting research on photochemical air pollution through volatile organic compounds (VOCs)-NOx-air system UV irradiation experiments (smog chamber experiments) and computer simulations using chemical reaction models to estimate ozone formation from various VOCs in the atmosphere (ref.1). As a new toxic chemical species, gas-phase smoke radicals from combustion are studied. Gas-phase radicals were detected from olefin-NOx-air system and the formation mechanism for gas-phase radicals from cigarette smoke was determined. In addition, reactions of gas-phase smoke radicals with biological model compounds such as cysteamine are investigated to clarify toxicity (ref.2). Chemistry of Energetic Materials Heats of formation for energetic materials such as nitro compounds were estimated by semi-empirical MO (molecular orbital) method and molecular mechanics (ref.3). Hazard evaluation program for heat release based on thermochemical calculation has been developed (ref.4). Presently, modeling of thermal decomposition of energetic materials is being conducted by MO and chemical kinetic calculations to investigate the relationship between chemical structure and thermal stability. Literature 1) Akutsu, Toyoda, Tomita, Yoshizawa, Tamura, and Yoshida: Effect of Exhaust from Alcohol Fuel on Ozone Formation in the Atmosphere, Atmospheric Environment, Vol.25A, No.7, pp1383-1389, 1991. 2) Akutsu, Gu, Furusawa, Arai, and Tamura: Oxidation of Cysteamine induced by gas-phase radicals from combustion smoke of poly (methyl methacrylate), Chemosphere, Vol.37, No.5, pp.875-883, 1998. 3) Akutsu, and Tamura: Calculations of Heats of Formation for Azoles with PM3, J. Energetic Materials, Vol.11, No.3, pp.205- 218, 1993. 4) Akutsu, Kawakatsu, Wada, Tamura, and Yoshida: REITP3-Hazard evaluation program for heat release based on thermochemical calculation, Kayaku Gakkaishi, Vol.60, No.3, pp.149-154, 1999. Other Activities Japan Society for Atmospheric Environment Japan Explosives Society Japan Society for Safety Engineering The Chemical Society of Japan Future Plan We are planning to carry out research as listed below. - Formation mechanism of atmospheric organic aerosols - Measurement of toxic compounds such as nitro compounds in the environment - Environmental photochemical reactions - Treatment of pollutants by reactive chemical species - Modeling of energy release behavior of energetic materials Messages to Students I would like to make use of my research experience in atmospheric environmental chemistry, inorganic material chemistry and safety chemistry to develop the field of environmental reaction chemistry. I hope that you will learn much from the knowledge accumulated by predecessors and persevere in your research.