Dr Kei Saito - Researcher Profile

Biography

Kei works in the School of Chemistry at Monash University as a Lecturer

 

 

Kei’s research areas of interest are:

 

My research interests are in developing new synthesis and production methods for novel sustainable/environment benign materials and alternative energy materials based on the principles of Green Chemistry.

Green chemistry is an academic field in chemistry that is concerned with the design of safe processes and products. In addition, when green chemistry is used in material production, the new material should not only be more environmentally benign but also perform as well and be more economical than alternative materials. Green chemistry research should not be restricted to research in just using safe chemistry for processes or making safe products that already exist. New and innovative technology is key for green chemistry research and innovative technology will make the processes and products greener and create the new environmentally benign materials and alternative energy materials for a sustainable future. My long term objectives are to investigate novel sustainable materials and alternative energy materials by understanding and identifying naturally occurring mechanisms that can be extrapolated to synthetic systems using polymer, supramolecular, catalyst, and nano chemistry.

 

Keywords

Green Chemistry

Qualifications

DOCTOR OF ENGINEERING

Institution: Waseda University

Year awarded: 2004

Publications

Journal Articles

Bai, N., Saito, K., Simon, G.P., 2013, Synthesis of a diamine cross-linker containing Diels-Alder adducts to produce self-healing thermosetting epoxy polymer from a widely used epoxy monomer, Polymer Chemistry [P], vol 4, issue 3, RSC, England UK, pp. 724-730.

Johnston, P., Pas, E., Saito, K., 2012, The interplay between hydrogen bonding and pi-pi stacking interactions in the crystal packing of N1-thyminyl derivatives, and implications for the photo-chemical [2 pi+2 pi]-cycloaddition of thyminyl compounds, Photochemical & Photobiological Sciences [P], vol 11, issue 12, Royal Society of Chemistry Publications, Cambridge UK, pp. 1938-1951.

Johnston, P., Braybrook, C., Saito, K., 2012, Topochemical photo-reversible polymerization of a bioinspired monomer and its recovery and repolymerization after photo-depolymerization, Chemical Science [P], vol 3, issue 7, Royal Society Chemistry, Cambridge England, pp. 2301-2306.

Kaur, G., Chang, L., Bell, T., Hearn, M., Saito, K., 2011, Bioinspired core-crosslinked micelles from thymine-functionalized amphiphilic block copolymers: hydrogen bonding and photo-crosslinking study, Journal Of Polymer Science Part A-Polymer Chemistry [P], vol 49, issue 19, Wiley-Blackwell, Malden Massachusetts USA, pp. 4121-4128.

Suzuki, K., Zhang, H., Saito, K., Garitaonandia, J., Goikolea, E., Insausti, M., 2011, Ferromagnetism of polythiophene-capped Au nanoparticles, Journal Of Applied Physics [P], vol 109, issue 7, American Institute of Physics, USA, pp. 1-3.

Saito, K., Pant, S., Hearn, M., 2011, Oxidative polymerization of 2,6-dimethylphenol in water using bis-triazacyclononane copper catalyst, Journal Of Applied Polymer Science [P], vol 122, issue 4, Wiley-Blackwell, Malden Massachusetts USA, pp. 2174-2180.

Pant, S., Hearn, M.T.W., Saito, K., 2010, 1,4,7-tricarboxymethyl-1,4,7-triazacyclononane copper catalyzed oxidative polymerization to form poly(2,6-dimethyl-1,4-phenylene oxide) in water, Australian Journal of Chemistry [E], vol 63, issue 3, CSIRO Publishing, Collingwood Vic Australia, pp. 502-506.

Okayasu, T., Saito, K., Nishide, H., Hearn, M., 2010, Poly(vinylsulfonic acid)-grafted solid catalysts: new materials for acid-catalysed organic synthetic reactions, Green Chemistry [P], vol 12, issue 11, Royal Society of Chemistry, Cambridge England, pp. 1981-1989.

Johnston, P., Hearn, M.T.W., Saito, K., 2010, Solid-state photoreversible polymerization of n-alkyl-linked bis-thymines using non-covalent polymer-templating, Australian Journal of Chemistry [E], vol 63, issue 4, CSIRO Publishing, Collingwood Vic Australia, pp. 631-639.

Saito, K., Warner, J.C., 2009, Core-shell thymine containing polymeric micelle system: study of controlled release of riboflavin, Green Chemistry Letters and Reviews [P], vol 2, issue 2, Taylor & Francis, UK, pp. 71-76.

Okayasu, T., Saito, K., Nishide, H., Hearn, M.T.W., 2009, Preparation of a novel poly(vinylsulfonic acid)-grafted solid phase acid catalyst and its use in esterification reactions, Chemical Communications [P], Royal Chemical Society, UK, pp. 4708-4710.

Saito, K., Ingalls, L.R., Lee, J., Warner, J.C., 2007, Core-bound polymeric micellar system based on photocrosslinking of thymine, Chemical Communications, Royal Society of Chemistry, U K, pp. 2503-2505.

Saito, K., Gangyang, S., Nishide, H., 2007, Green synthesis of soluble polyphenol: oxidative polymerization of phenol in water, Green Chemistry Letters and Reviews, vol 1, Taylor & Francis Ltd, U K, pp. 47-51.

Bianchini, J.R., Saito, K., Balin, T.B., Dua, V., Warner, J.C., 2007, Thymine-based, water-soluble phototerpolymers: Their preparation and synthesis, Journal of Polymer Science Part A, Polymer Chemistry, vol 45, John Wiley & Sons, United States, pp. 1296-1303.

Saito, K., Kuwashiro, N., Nishide, H., 2006, Catalyzed oxidative polymerization to form poly(2,6-dimethyl-1,4-phenylene oxide) in water using water-soluble copper complex, Polymer, vol 47, issue 19, Elsevier, Oxford UK, pp. 6581-6584.

Saito, K., Tazaki, T., Matsubara, R., Nishide, H., 2005, Acid-functionalized poly(phenylene oxide)s: Their preparation and properties, Industrial & Engineering Chemistry Research, vol 44, American Chemical Society, USA, pp. 8626-8630.

Saito, K., Masuyama, T., Nishide, H., 2005, Oxidative polymerization in water to form sulfoalkoxy poly(phenylene oxide)s, Bulletin of the Chemical Society of Japan, vol 78, Chemical Society Japan, Japan, pp. 1699-1701.

Saito, K., Tago, T., Masuyama, T., Nishide, H., 2004, Oxidative Polymerization of 2,6-Dimethylphenol to Form Poly(2,6-dimethyl-1,4-phenyleneoxide) in Water, Angewandte Chemie (International Edition), vol 43, Wiley - VCH, Germany, pp. 730-733.

Saito, K., Masuyama, T., Oyaizu, K., Nishide, H., 2003, Depolymerization of Poly(2,6-dimethyl-1,4-phenylene oxide) under Oxidative Conditions, Chemistry - A European Journal, vol 9, Wiley - VCH, Germany, pp. 4240-4246.

Saito, K., Masuyama, T., Nishide, H., 2003, Oxidative polymerization to form poly(2,6-dimethyl-1,4-phenylene oxide) in water, Green Chemistry [P], vol 5, Royal Society of Chemistry, U K, pp. 535-538.

Conference Proceedings

Zhang, H., Suzuki, K., Saito, K., Garitaonandia, J., Goikolea, E., Insausti, M., 2010, Effect of organic capping on the magnetic properties of Au nanoparticles, Materials Science Forum, 2 August 2010 to 6 August 2010, Trans Tech Publications Ltd, Switzerland, pp. 1174-1177.

Postgraduate Research Supervisions

Current Supervision

Program of Study:

(DOCTORATE BY RESEARCH).

Supervisors:

Suzuki, K (Main), Saito, K (Associate).

Program of Study:

(DOCTORATE BY RESEARCH).

Thesis Title:

Bioinspired nano micelles: Their controlled chemical loading and release..

Supervisors:

Saito, K (Main), Hearn, M (Associate), Bell, T (Associate).

Program of Study:

(DOCTORATE BY RESEARCH).

Thesis Title:

Capillary electrochromatography (CEC) of polar compounds: Towards an improved understanding of the fundamentals of retention and separation efficiency..

Supervisors:

Hearn, M (Joint-co), Saito, K (Joint).

Program of Study:

(DOCTORATE BY RESEARCH).

Thesis Title:

Comparison of different smart polymers for natural product separation.

Supervisors:

Saito, K (Main), Boysen, R (Associate), Hearn, M (Associate).

Program of Study:

(DOCTORATE BY RESEARCH).

Thesis Title:

Depolymerization and repolymerization of Polyphenyleneoxide (PPO), Lignin, using redistribution mechanism..

Supervisors:

Saito, K (Main), Patti, A (Associate).

Program of Study:

(DOCTORATE BY RESEARCH).

Thesis Title:

Developing a novel polymer recycling system.

Supervisors:

Saito, K (Main), Boyd, B (Associate).

Program of Study:

(DOCTORATE BY RESEARCH).

Thesis Title:

New Self-healing Epoxy-based Polymers.

Supervisors:

Simon, G (Main), Saito, K (Associate).

Program of Study:

(DOCTORATE BY RESEARCH).

Thesis Title:

Photoreversible Self -Healing Polymers.

Supervisors:

Saito, K (Main), Simon, G (Associate).

Program of Study:

(DOCTORATE BY RESEARCH).

Thesis Title:

Substituted terpyridines: Green synthetic strategies and application in antibody purification..

Supervisors:

Hearn, M (Joint), Saito, K (Joint-co).

Completed Supervision

Student:

Johnston, P.

Program of Study:

Design, synthesis and characterisation of new photo-reversible thyminyl-based polymers. (PHD) 2012.

Supervisors:

Saito, K (Main).