Name:           Yuta TAKAOKA
Position:      Assistant Professor
Degree:        Ph.D. (Engineering)
Laboratory: Energy Materials Science
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Converting Carbon Dioxide into a Resource with Electricity

I have conducted research on CO₂ electrolysis, which uses electricity to convert carbon dioxide (CO₂) into useful substances such as carbon monoxide and formic acid. Using electricity generated from renewable energy sources offers the possibility of recycling CO₂ as a carbon resource for producing chemicals and fuels, rather than treating it as an emission. However, because CO₂ is a chemically stable molecule, obtaining the desired products at high reaction rates and selectivity requires the appropriate design of both electrocatalysts that promote the reaction and the reaction environment formed at the catalyst surface. My research to date has included a catalyst that combines bismuth and zirconium to concentrate CO₂ near the catalyst and produce formic acid at high rates, as well as a method for controlling the composition of syngas, a mixture of carbon monoxide and hydrogen, using a nickel- and cobalt-containing nitrogen-doped carbon catalyst.

Integrated Design of Catalysts and Local Reaction Environments

The performance of electrochemical reactions is strongly influenced not only by the composition and structure of the catalyst material, but also by the “local reaction environment,” which includes the CO₂ concentration, pH, ionic species, and reactant supply rate near the catalyst. I have therefore combined materials synthesis, structural and surface analysis, and electrochemical measurements to elucidate how catalysts and their surrounding environments affect reaction rates and product selectivity. Going forward, I intend to build on the knowledge of catalytic reactions, electrode interfaces, mass transport, and local reaction environments accumulated through my work on CO₂ electrolysis, and to extend my research beyond CO₂ electrolysis to a wide range of electrochemical devices, including rechargeable batteries. Through research spanning materials and devices, I aim to contribute to the development of sustainable energy conversion and storage technologies.

Publications

1. Yuta Takaoka, Euiyoung Choi, Hyo-Young Kim, Jun Tae Song, Han Seul Kim, Motonori Watanabe, Miki Inada, Tatsumi Ishihara, “Bi–Zr-Modulated CO₂ Microenvironment Enables High-Rate CO₂ Electroreduction,” ChemSusChem, 18, e202501024 (2025).
2. Yuta Takaoka, Jun Tae Song, Motonori Watanabe, Miki Inada, Tatsumi Ishihara, “Controlling CO/H₂ Selectivity in CO₂ Electrolysis via Ni–Co Coordinated Nitrogen-Doped Carbon in Various pH Conditions,” Applied Catalysis A: General, 707, 120502 (2025).
3. Yuta Takaoka, Jun Tae Song, Atsushi Takagaki, Motonori Watanabe, Tatsumi Ishihara, “Bi/UiO-66-Derived Electrocatalysts for High CO₂-to-Formate Conversion Rate,” Applied Catalysis B: Environmental, 326, 122400 (2023).