Tag: Tokyo Universities of Science

Sodium-containing transition-metal layered oxides are promising electrode materials for sodium-ion batteries, a potential alternative to lithium-ion batteries. However, the vast number of possible elemental compositions for their electrodes makes identifying optimal compositions challenging. In a recent study, researchers from Japan leveraged extensive experimental data and machine learning to predict the optimal composition of sodium-ion batteries. Their approach could help reduce time and resources needed during exploratory research, speeding up the transition to renewable energy.

Energy storage is an essential part of many rapidly growing sustainable technologies, including electric cars and renewable energy generation. Although lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) dominate the current market, lithium is a relatively scarce and expensive element, creating both economic and supply stability challenges. Accordingly, researchers all over the world are experimenting with new types of batteries made from more abundant
materials.

Sodium-ion (Na-ion) batteries which use sodium ions as energy carriers present a promising alternative to LIBs owing to the abundance of sodium, their higher safety, and potentially lower cost. In particular, sodium-containing transition-metal layered oxides (NaMeO₂) are powerful materials for the positive electrode of Na-ion batteries, offering
exceptional energy density and capacity. However, for multi-element layered oxides composed of several transition metals, the sheer number of possible combinations makes finding the optimal composition both complex and time-consuming. Even minor changes in the selection and proportion of transition metals can bring about marked changes in crystal morphology and affect battery performance.

Now, in a recent study, a research team led by Professor Shinichi Komaba, along with Ms. Saaya Sekine and Dr. Tomooki Hosaka from Tokyo University of Science (TUS), Japan, and from Chalmers University of Technology, and Professor Masanobu Nakayama from Nagoya Institute of Technology, leveraged machine learning to streamline the search for promising compositions. The findings of their study were received on September 05, 2024, with uncorrected proofs and published online in the Journal of Materials Chemistry A on November 06, 2024, after
proofreading. This research study is supported by funding agencies JST-CREST, DX-GEM, and JST-GteX.

The team sought to automate the screening of elemental compositions in various NaMeO₂ O3-type materials. To this end, they first assembled a database of 100 samples from O3-type sodium half-cells with 68 different compositions, gathered over the course of 11 years by Komaba’s group. “The database included the composition of NaMeO₂ samples, with Me being a transition metal like Mn, Ti, Zn, Ni, Zn, Fe, and Sn, among others, as well as the upper and lower voltage limits of charge-discharge tests, initial discharge capacity, average discharge voltage, and capacity retention after 20 cycles,” explains Komaba.

The researchers then used this database to train a model incorporating several machine learning algorithms, as well as Bayesian optimization, to perform an efficient search. The goal of this model was to learn how properties like operating voltage, capacity retention (lifetime), and energy density are related to the composition of NaMeO₂ layered
oxides, and to predict the optimal ratio of elements needed to achieve a desired balance between these properties.

After analyzing the results, the team found that the model predicted Na[Mn_0.36Ni_0.44Ti_0.15Fe_0.05]O₂ to be the optimal composition to achieve the highest energy density, which is one of the most important characteristics in electrode materials. To verify the accuracy of the model’s prediction, they synthesized samples with this composition and assembled standard coin cells to run charge-discharge tests.

The measured values were, for the most part, consistent with the predicted ones, highlighting the accuracy of the model and its potential for exploring new battery materials. “The approach established in our study offers an efficient method to identify promising compositions from a wide range of potential candidates,” remarks Komaba, “Moreover, this methodology is extendable to more complex material systems, such as quinary transition metal oxides.”

Using machine learning to identify promising research avenues is a growing trend in materials science, as it can help scientists greatly reduce the number of experiments and time required for screening new materials. The strategy presented in this study could accelerate the development of next-generation batteries, which have the potential to
revolutionize energy storage technologies across the board. This includes not only renewable energy generation and electric or hybrid vehicles but also consumer electronics such as laptops and smartphones. Moreover, successful applications of machine learning in battery research can serve as a template for material development in other fields, potentially accelerating innovation across the broader materials science landscape.

“The number of experiments can be reduced by using machine learning, which brings us one step closer to speeding up and lowering the cost of materials development. Furthermore, as the performance of electrode materials for Na-ion batteries continues to improve, it is expected that high-capacity and long-life batteries will become available at lower cost in the future,” concludes Komaba.

 

Cell competition, a defense system orchestrated by epithelial cells to suppress cancer formation, is altered in epithelial cells with sequential mutations. Activated Ras mutant epithelial cells, which would normally be eliminated into the lumen, instead infiltrate into the tissue to form invasive tumors. The underlying mechanisms were found to be increased MMP21 expression, via activation of NF-κB signaling. Analysis using human samples suggests that the NF-κB-MMP21 pathway contributes to early colorectal cancer progression.

Living cells compete with each other and try to adapt to the local environment. Cells that are unable to do so are eliminated eventually. This cellular competition is crucial as the surrounding normal epithelial cells use it to identify and eliminate mutant cancer cells. Studies have reported that when activating mutants of “Ras” proteins are expressed in mammalian epithelial cells, they are pushed toward the lumen, excreted along with other bodily waste, and eliminated by competition. Epithelial cells containing Ras mutants have been reported to be removed in this manner in several organs, including the small intestine, stomach, pancreas, and lungs. This suggests that cell competition is an innate defense system orchestrated by epithelial cells to prevent the accumulation of incidentally produced cancerous cells and thereby suppress cancer formation.

In general, mutations in multiple genes accumulate in a stepwise manner when normal cells become cancerous. However, it is not known how cell competition is affected by this process.

For instance, human colorectal cancer develops when the adenomatous polyposis coli (APC) gene becomes dysfunctional and activates “Wnt signaling,” followed by the activation of Ras signaling.

In a recent study, a team of researchers from Japan, led by Associate Professor Shunsuke Kon of the Department of Cancer Biology, Institute of Biomedical Research and Innovation, Tokyo University of Science (TUS), examined the effects of the accumulation of stepwise gene mutations on cell competition and investigated the role of cell competition in the actual cancer formation process. Their study was published in Nature Communications on November 3, 2023 with Mr. Kazuki Nakai, a third year PhD student at the Graduate School of Life Sciences in TUS, as the lead author.

The study results showed that when Wnt signals were activated in epithelial cells, cell competition function was altered. Activated Ras mutant epithelial cells, which would normally be eliminated into the lumen, instead infiltrated diffusely into the tissue to form highly invasive cancerous tumors.

As senior author Dr. Kon explains, “We discovered that in epithelial tissues where Wnt and Ras signals, which commonly occur in human colorectal cancer, are activated in stages, the function of cell competition is altered. It was revealed that the production of cancer cells that diffusely infiltrate into the interstitium is promoted.”

Further, the research team identified an increased expression of matrix metalloproteinase 21 (MMP21) as one of the mechanisms underlying the production of diffusely invasive cancer cells in early colorectal cancer due to abnormal cell competition. This, in turn, was shown to be directly caused by activation of nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) signals via the innate immune system. Blocking NF-κB signaling restored the luminal elimination of Ras mutant epithelial cells. These findings raise some intriguing questions, such as “How do transformed cells sense the cellular content that leads to the NF-B-MMP21 pathway?” and “How do surrounding cells recognize transformed cells and prepare them for cellular extrusion?” These questions will almost certainly need to be addressed in the future.

The results of this research show that cancer cells with accumulated, sequential genetic mutations, alter the function of cell competition and use it to enhance their own invasive ability. Instead of being eliminated to the lumen, they infiltrate into the tissue, producing high-grade cancer cells. While the research team did note that the cancer histopathology of the mice used in this study resembled diffuse-type cancer in humans, future research is needed to determine whether the NF-κB-MMP21 pathway is relevant to other cancers. For instance, investigating scirrhous gastric cancer, a typical diffuse-type cancer, would be particularly interesting.

Overall, these findings demonstrate that Wnt activation disrupts cell competition, and confers invasive properties on transformed cells to escape primary epithelial sites. Understanding how the molecular landscape is re-modeled to change the fate of cancer cells with high mutational burdens could be used for therapeutic purposes. This could be of interest to researchers focused on Wnt signaling or cancer research, such as those at the Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research at MIT and Cancer Research UK, who are working towards common goals.

Dr. Kon concludes by saying, “This study further brings forth the prospect that cell competition constrains the order of appearance of mutations during tumor development, highlighting a link between cell competition and carcinogenesis. We hope that this will pave the way for the development of new cancer treatments from the standpoint of cell competition and infiltration for the benefit of our society.”

Euglena (Euglena gracilis) is a microalga containing chloroplasts and producing organic matter through photosynthesis in a well-lit environment, while taking in organic matter from outside in an unlit environment. It is known to be rich in nutrients like vitamins, minerals, amino acids, and essential fatty acids, such as DHA and EPA. Owing to the lack of cell walls, Euglena has a high digestion and absorption rate, making it attractive as a new source of nutritious and health enhancing food.

Moreover, Euglena protein is rich in methionine, a characteristic of animal protein, and its nutritional value is comparable to casein found in milk. Therefore, it is expected to be one of the solutions to the shortage of animal protein due to the effects of climate change and population growth, as well as one of the production technologies for space exploration, which is flourishing these days. In addition, Euglena also contains a high percentage of a special type of beta-1,3-glucan called paramylon, known for its immunomodulatory and hepatoprotective effects. Paramylon may also be effective in reducing atopic dermatitis, influenza, and arthritis symptoms, as well as in preventing colon cancer. However, the existing methods for food-grade manufacturing of Euglena are quite complicated.

Currently, Euglena can be propagated using both autotrophic as well as heterotrophic culture mediums. Conventionally, the Koren–Hutner (KH) medium, a higher yielding heterotrophic medium, is used for its culture. But it requires measuring and mixing 26 different chemicals. Moreover, after the microalgae has reproduced to high densities in large pools, it must be extracted, washed, concentrated, and dried to foods or nutritional supplements. The energy required for these processes accounts for about 30% of the total production cost, and other costs such as cultivation land and transportation costs are also incurred in the production of Euglena as a food ingredient.

Aimed at improving the efficiency of existing production processes, a team of researchers from Japan conducted experiments to find a promising method to grow Euglena in large quantities. As explained in their latest paper, the team examined several beverages to find a suitable growing medium for Euglena. This paper was made available online on August 14, 2023 and was published in Issue 5 of the journal Sustainable Food Technology on September 1st, 2023. The study was led by Assistant Professor Kyohei Yamashita from Tokyo University of Science (TUS) and co-authored by Dr. Kengo Suzuki and Dr. Koji Yamada from Euglena Co., Ltd. and Professor Eiji Tokunaga from TUS.

Interestingly, this study is a part of follow-up research for which a patent was filed by Dr. Yamashita during his doctoral course in 2017. Dr. Yamashita explains, “We had previously confirmed that E. gracilis can grow even when foods such as seaweed, dried sardines, and boiled rice are used as a source of essential vitamins.”

The researchers first cultured Euglena with initial cell density of 4.2 x 103 cells/mL statically under aerobic conditions for about 10 days. For this, they used either Cramers–Myers (CM) medium, an independent nutrient medium, or KH medium, a heterotrophic medium. The cell density increased to 106 cells/mL and 107 cells/mL, respectively. Next, they incubated Euglena with initial cell density of 1.6 x 104 cells/mL in 13 different beverages, including diluted grape juice (with juice-to-water ratio of 3:7 or 7:3), pineapple juice, apple juice, sweet wine, diluted carrot juice (with juice-to-water ratio of 3:7 or 7:3), tomato juice, orange juice, grapefruit juice, prune juice, coconut water, and maple water, and culture medium supplemented with essential vitamins B1 and B12 under aerobic conditions. The cells were cultured under ‘light’ (26 °C, white light irradiation) or ‘dark’ (23 °C, no light irradiation) conditions.

Interestingly, the researchers found that the cell density of Euglena cells reached a maximum when cultured in tomato juice, especially under light conditions, and increased to 107 cells/mL, the same level as in KH medium. This also resulted in a change in the appearance of the culture medium from red to green after incubation (as shown in Image 1). The bright green chloroplasts in Euglena cultured in tomato juice were observed to be tightly packed inside the cells. On the other hand, in the non-tomato juice, the number of chloroplasts was low, and the green color was lighter. These findings suggest that tomato juice is more suitable for the growth of Euglena than other beverages.

Furthermore, on culturing Euglena under aerobic conditions using tomato juice diluted with water (in a ratio of 3:7, 4:6, or 5:5) and without essential vitamins, it grew to approximately 100 times of its initial cell density to 106 cells/mL under all dilution conditions. This revealed that the nutrient composition of tomato juice itself is suitable for Euglena growth.

“During static incubation, tomato juice diluted with water separated into a solid sediment layer and an upper aqueous solution layer in the container, and Euglena proliferated actively near the boundary of these layers. Therefore, when cultured under aerobic conditions using ‘tomato (filtered) medium,’ in which solid components were removed from tomato juice, Euglena were distributed throughout the entire culture medium,” points out Dr. Yamashita. Notably, the cell density was greater than that in the unfiltered tomato juice medium. This indicates that the removal of solid components may mitigate the effects of density, including growth space, light and nutrient acquisition, and waste accumulation.

Finally, the team cultured Euglena in CM medium with glutamic acid, a nutrient characteristic of tomato juice. The cell density reached two to three times that of the CM medium, but only about half that of the tomato juice medium. These findings suggest that components other than glutamic acid contained in tomato juice also contribute to the good growth of Euglena.

“Euglena is rich in nutrients and functional ingredients, so it is possible to easily fortify foods by converting some of the nutrients in the food into Euglena. Being simple and economically feasible, we expect this method to be useful for carbon-neutral and sustainable food production. It could also contribute to the achievement of sustainable development goals related to food and hunger and has the potential to contribute as a food production technology in space exploration,” concludes Dr. Yamashita, expressing his hopes for the future development of this research.

Gram-negative bacteria like E. coli and Salmonella are a global cause of concern as they can cause disease outbreaks. They release osmo-regulated periplasmic glucans (OPGs)—a diverse group of long-chain carbohydrates—that have a role in infection. Researchers from Japan have investigated two OPG-related genes, OpgG and OpgD, in E. coli. Their discovery of a novel family of β-1,2-glucanases could provide insights into bacterial pathogenicity.

Gram-negative bacteria cause a variety of infectious diseases in plants and animals alike. Outbreaks of Salmonella and E. coli infections often make headlines due to their severity, and people have to resort to allopathic as well as natural remedies, increasing the burden on the healthcare system. While antibiotics offer an effective solution against bacterial infections, the increasing incidence of antibiotic-resistant bacteria have prompted researchers to identify other possible treatments against these infections. With technological advances and modern medicine, researchers are looking into the possibility of disrupting the pathogenicity of the bacteria at a molecular level by interfering with molecular processes at the gene as well as protein level.

Gram-negative bacteria, notorious for their infection capability, produce osmo-regulated periplasmic glucans (OPGs)—long-chain carbohydrates made of multiple glucose units—in the extracellular and/or periplasmic space. Initially, it was believed that OPGs were by-products produced under low solute concentrations, but recent reports confirm that they are crucial for pathogenicity, symbiosis, cell adhesion, and signaling.

However, the enzymes involved in the synthesis, regulation, and degradation of OPGs are not fully known. Genetic analysis revealed that the removal of opgH and/or opgG genes, partially responsible for OPG synthesis, causes bacteria to lose their infection capability, suggesting strong potential links of these genes with bacterial pathogenicity.

Although the structure of OpgG from E. coli (EcOpgG) has been elucidated, the mechanism of action of OpgG and OpgD from E. coli (EcOpgG and EcOpgD, respectively) remains unclear. Understanding the enzymes involved in OPG synthesis and the mechanisms underlying their function could provide us vital insights into the pathogenicity of Gram-negative bacteria, allowing us to develop more effective ways to deal with bacterial infections.

To bridge this gap in knowledge, Mr. Sei Motouchi from Tokyo University of Science, Dr. Kaito Kobayashi from the National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), Associate, Associate Professor Hiroyuki Nakai from Niigata University and Professor Masahiro Nakajima from the Tokyo University of Science conducted structural and functional analyses of EcOpgD and EcOpgG. The study was published in Communications Biology on September 21, 2023.

Sharing the motivation behind this study, Professor Nakajima tells us, “Glycans are important biological macromolecules that play a variety of roles in living organisms, including pathogenicity and symbiosis. Their structure is very diverse and complex, and thus there are many types of enzymes that may synthesize and degrade them. However, we humans know only a small fraction of them”.

The researchers investigated the functions of OPG-related genes in the model organism E. coli. Functional analyses revealed that E. coli OpgD (EcOpgD) was an endo-β-1,2-glucanase, which specifically broke down β-1,2-glucans. It also had similar kinetic properties as those of general glycoside hydrolases (GH), further confirming its identity as a β-1,2-glucanase.

Structural analysis using crystallography revealed a high degree of similarity between the structures of EcOpgG and EcOpgD. However, the two enzymes had remarkably different activity. Upon further investigation, the researchers found that a few amino acids forming the reaction pathway, termed ‘Loop A’, were critical for enzyme activity and regulated the rate of reaction. EcOpgG and EcOpgD differed in their catalytic functions, possibly due to the difference in the amino acids in the Loop A region. The LoopA region diversifies among this group of enzymes, which may lead to functional diversity. Nevertheless, the basis of the catalytic center is shared in this group of enzymes. This common point will help scientists develop therapies that could potentially disrupt OPG synthesis and hinder the infection capability of bacteria.

Further, while the two enzymes belonged to the same family of GHs, their structure did not match with any of the existing GH enzymes. Thus, the authors confirmed that they belonged to a novel GH family, namely GH186. This information opens avenues for research into therapies that can target GH186 proteins to stop the progression of bacterial infections.

Professor Masahiro concludes by explaining the long-term applications of the study, “Although it was known that some Gram-negative plant pathogens synthesize OPGs for pathogenicity, most of the key enzymes for their synthesis had not been identified, preventing the development of agrochemicals targeting OPGs. We have identified a family of enzymes (GH186) involved in the direct synthesis of OPGs and elucidated their detailed functions, which has presented us with new targets (GH186) to inhibit pathogens and provides a solid foundation for ‘structure-based pesticide discovery’”.

The findings of this study lay down a strong foundation for further investigation of OPGs and related genes and may usher in a new era of disease management.

Sulfinate esters, a type of organosulfur compounds, are typically synthesized using thiols. However, these substances are difficult to work with due to their unpleasant smell and oxidizability in air. Now, a research team has found a way to produce sulfinate esters through the direct oxidation of thioesters, which are easily accessible and stable. Their findings will help expand the field of organosulfur chemistry and hopefully lead to new applications in pharmaceuticals.

Organosulfur compounds are organic molecules that contain one or more sulfur atoms bonded to carbon atoms. They not only play fundamental roles in biological processes but also have wide applications in many industries, such as pharmaceuticals, agrochemicals, and materials science. Thus, many chemists strive to develop safe and efficient methods to synthesize organosulfurs.

The conventional approach to produce them involves the oxidation of molecules called thiols. However, working with thiols can be quite challenging. They have a strong and unpleasant odor and can be oxidized easily under air, which makes handling and storage difficult. These two issues have limited the availability of thiols with interesting functional groups, also hindering the production of different types of organosulfurs. But what if we could produce organosulfurs from less problematic chemicals?

In a recent study published in Organic and Biomolecular Chemistry on 11 August 2023, a research team from Japan has come up with a new approach to synthesize sulfinate esters, a subclass of organosulfur compounds, using thioesters. The research, led by Associate Professor Suguru Yoshida, is co-authored by Mr. Keisuke Nakamura, Ms. Yukiko Kumagai, Mr. Akihiro Kobayashi, and Ms. Minori Suzuki, all from Tokyo University of Science (TUS).

Thioesters have essentially the same chemical structure as esters, except that one or two oxygen atoms are replaced by sulfur atoms. Unlike thiols, thioesters are odorless, stable, and easily accessible, which makes them easier to work with. These advantages motivated the research team to develop an efficient synthesis route for the synthesis of sulfinate esters via direct oxidation of thioesters.

They first prepared a desired thioester molecule from an aryl iodide composed of an aryl group bound to an iodine atom. Using a copper-containing catalyst, the researchers managed to strip the iodine atom from the aryl group and replace it with a carbon–sulfur bond, forming a thioester. Afterwards, the thioester was directly oxidized in the presence of N-bromosuccinimide, which created an intricate reaction pathway culminating with the formation of a sulfinate ester.

This two-step synthesis technique is efficient and straightforward. Most importantly, it carries the potential to produce various sulfinate esters from easily available starting materials, including carboxylic acids, anilines, and a wide variety of aryl iodides. “Compared to conventional preparation methods of sulfinate esters from other sulfur surrogates, the superior accessibility of aryl iodides from a wide variety of aromatic compounds will enable the synthesis of highly functionalized sulfinate esters,” remarks Dr. Yoshida.

Overall, the method proposed in this study will greatly bolster research on new organosulfurs, leading to promising applications in many fields. For example, sulfinate esters are used in the synthesis of sulfonamide-containing compounds, which have antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, and enzyme inhibitory activities. They are also used to produce drugs with sulfoxide groups, which can have various biological activities, including anti-clotting and anti-acid effects. Moreover, sulfinate esters can help synthesize functional polymers and agrochemicals and serve as reagents in analytical chemistry techniques to detect the presence of specific compounds or functional groups.

With eyes on the future, Dr. Yoshida concludes: “Further studies towards finding applications for the preparation of bioactive organosulfur derivatives, as well as the synthesis of bis-sulfinate esters, are underway in our laboratory.”

Let us hope that this study opens up new possibilities for organosulfurs.

Carbon slurries, which consist of a suspension of carbon particles in a solvent, are used to mass-produce battery electrodes. However, there are no adequate methods to evaluate whether the particles are uniformly dispersed in the slurry during the manufacturing process. In a recent study, researchers from Japan used an innovative approach, combining viscosity and electrochemical impedance measurements, to accurately assess the dispersibility of slurries, opening doors to enhanced electric vehicles and fuel cell batteries.

Lithium-ion batteries are the powerhouse of modern-day electronics, and fuel cells are a promising candidate for sustainable energy devices. An important factor affecting the performance of both lithium-ion batteries and fuel cells is the dispersibility of carbon slurries, suspensions made of conductive carbon particles dispersed in a solvent. They can be easily coated on a metal collector to mass-produce electrodes. But the carbon particles in the slurry must be homogenously dispersed to ensure reliable battery performance.

However, evaluating the dispersibility of thick slurries with high particle concentrations is remarkably difficult. The large number of particles prevent peering into the internal structure of the slurries using direct spectroscopic techniques. Moreover, there are no methods to evaluate the dispersibility and conductive properties of slurries in response to shear stress applied during the coating process.

Against this backdrop, a research team led by Associate Professor Isao Shitanda from Tokyo University of Science (TUS) in Japan developed a novel technique to estimate the dispersibility of carbon slurries. Their latest study, published online in ACS Applied Electronic Materials on 1 August 2023, is co-authored by Dr. Yoshifumi Yamagata from Anton Paar Japan K. K. and Dr. Shingo Niinobe from Shin-Etsu Chemical Co., Ltd.

The researchers combined a rheometer—a scientific instrument for measuring the flow/ deformation behavior of fluids in response to applied stress—with a spectroscopy setup to measure the electrochemical impedance of acetylene black slurries with methylcellulose (a cellulose-derived compound used as a thickener and emulsifier in food and cosmetic products, as a bulk-forming laxative and as eye/ear drops) as a dispersant. They conducted experiments under the influence of shear stress at various frequencies to obtain the rheo-impedance spectra, which provide information about the internal structure of carbon particles in a slurry. Interestingly, they noticed that the impedance spectra did not change considerably under applied shear stress for a carbon slurry with good dispersibility.

Additionally, the team developed an equivalent circuit model consisting of three types of contact resistances and capacitances: those between acetylene black particles, those of particle bulk, and those arising from the design of the measurement setup. The bulk resistance of acetylene black showed no dependence on shear rate but decreased with increase in the methylcellulose concentration. Further, the resistance measured at each methylcellulose concentration increased with the shear rate, an observation that was attributed to a partial breakdown of the carbon–carbon network and the decreasing conductivity with rising shear rate.

Together, these results thus show that it is possible to evaluate the dispersibility of electrode slurries based on a combination of viscosity (measured with the rheometer) and electrochemical impedance measurements. Excited about the potential of their new methodology, Dr. Shitanda remarks: “The insights from this study could prove useful for improving the efficiency of large-scale electrode manufacturing processes in which the internal structure of the slurry must be carefully controlled.”

Preparing slurries with higher dispersibility could also lead to improved lithium-ion battery performance and enhanced functional materials. These would be significant contributions toward building a sustainable carbon-neutral society by fostering applications in solar panels, fuel cells, and electric vehicles.

“The proposed method can be used to evaluate the dispersibility of not just carbon dispersions, but a wide variety of slurries. In future studies, we plan to conduct further measurements and equivalent circuit verifications by changing the particle type and binder combinations,” concludes Dr. Shitanda.

Let us hope this study will enable us to produce more optimal slurries, paving the way for more sustainable technologies for next-generation electronics, electric vehicles, and energy storage devices!