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Learning from the stability, particle and rheology experts... means mastering the challenges. The popular cooperation seminar on rheology, stability and particle characterisation will take place again in May. The organisers LUM GmbH, Anton Paar and Sinterface cordially invite you to participate in the cooperation seminar ‘Rheology and stability of disperse systems’ in Potsdam. It will take place from 19 to 21 May 2025 and already for the 14th time. This year it is a cooperation event with the following scientific institutions: TU Darmstadt, ETH Zurich, University of Erlangen-Nuremberg, TU Berlin, TH Nuremberg and EZD Selb. The seminar is aimed at users from research, product development or quality assurance who already have experience with rheological measurements and stability tests in their daily practice and want to learn about the benefits of the current possibilities, or who would like to deal with rheological measurement methods and methods of direct and accelerated stability evaluation in the future. Complementary methods for determining particle properties (particle size distribution, particle density, number of particles) round off the programme. On the first day, the basics of 2D and 3D rheology, direct stability determination and the determination of particle size distributions are taught. On the second day, the focus is on technology. Using case studies, participants will solve practical tasks and can then apply this knowledge to their current and future work. User presentations from research and industry will take centre stage on the third day. As in previous years, we look forward to a lively exchange between participants and the lecturers. All course participants will receive their own copy of the corresponding reference work at the end of the event: Dispersion Properties, 2D Rheology, 3D Rheology, Stability, ISBN 978-3-00-045864-4. Detailed information on registration and the programme can be found on the LUM website.

Strong demand from the pharmaceutical and semiconductor sectors Leads to expansion of the Chinese sales network. LUM GmbH and Alpharmaca Inc. start working together in February. In February 2025, LUM GmbH began a strategic sales partnership with the Chinese company Alpharmaca Inc., based in Shanghai, in order to meet the strong demand from the pharmaceutical and semiconductor sectors and also to provide customers with a high level of local expertise in solving their questions in the area of particle and direct dispersion characterization and materials testing. Founded in 2010, Alpharmaca is a resource platform that serves China’s industrial 4.0 industrialization and upgrading, introducing leading technologies and products from abroad. Alpharmaca focuses on the field of nanoscopic technology from the starting point of the pharmaceutical industry and has a business coverage of biological, pharmaceutical, chemical, semiconductor, coatings and other industries, as well as universities, research institutes and other institutions. Susanne Lerche-Merchant, CEO of LUM GmbH, “With this new partnership, we are strengthening our market presence

means mastering the challenges. The popular cooperation seminar on rheology, stability and particle characterisation will take place again in May. Stability tests and rheological measurements using sedimentation techniques based on STEP-Technology® are becoming increasingly important in research and development as well as in quality assurance. The rheological properties of disperse systems and the adsorption processes at their boundary phases are decisive for their stability, processing behaviour and performance properties. See the link to the event below for more information

Particle characterization of energy storage materials with analytical centrifugation on the way to a successful energy transition CENIDE is a research center representing the main research area ”Nanoscience” of the University of Duisburg-Essen. The experience of more than 85 working groups spreads across our six research areas [1]. This year, CENIDE is once again honouring young researchers with the “CENIDE Best Paper Award”. The nominated papers must be published in an international peer-reviewed journal in 2023 or 2024 and must not have already been awarded the “CENIDE Best Paper Award” [2]. The paper ”Key Control Characteristics of Carbon Black Materials for Fuel Cells and Batteries for a Standardized Characterization of Surface Properties” by Amin Said Amin et al., published as open access in Particle and Particle Systems Characterization, (Early View), [3], won the CENIDE Best Paper Award 2024. LUM GmbH warmly congratulates. First author Amin presented partial results in June at the International Conference for Dispersion Analysis & Materials Testing (ICDAMT 2024, Berlin)

Prof. Dr. Dr. Dietmar Lerche reported on the topic: Analytical techniques to address optimization and quality assessment along the development and.. at DIN e.V. In October, a workshop on Pigments and Extenders for E-Mobility took place at DIN e.V. in Berlin. The DIN Standards Committee Pigments and Extenders (NPF) has the task to carry out the standardization in the field of pigments, dyestuffs (excluding dyestuffs for textiles) and extenders and to assure the representation of national interests at international and European levels. The NPF leads the secretariats of ISO/TC 256 ”Pigments, dyestuffs and extenders” and of CEN/TC 298 ”Pigments and extenders”, which are responsible for the international respectively European standardization of pigments and extenders. [1]. LUM has been actively involved in ISO/TC 256 for years. E-mobility is a central aspect of the global shift towards sustainability, which highlights the importance of climate protection, circular economy and environmental protection. As raw materials and additives, pigments and fillers play a crucial role in the development of e-mobility solutions and

Science Prize for Amin Said Amin from the University of Duisburg-Essen From June 10th to 11th, 2024, LUM GmbH hosted the 11th International Conference on Dispersion Analysis and Materials Testing. 70 participants from 14 countries around the world took part. Three candidates from France, India and Germany were nominated from global applications for the Young Scientist Award 2024, their work was under the motto: Particle surface properties and their understanding [1]. The finalists presented their research results to the audience and jury at the conference. Théo Merland, Institute for Molecules and Materials of Le Mans, Le Mans University, and Soft Matter Sciences and Engineering, ESPCI Paris-Sorbonne University, France, discussed his work on aqueous fullerene suspensions. Buckminster fullerene (C60) is an attractive molecule due to its high conjugation, with applications in (electro)-optical and biomedical fields. The two different processes developed by Merland and his team to disperse large amounts of fullerene in water attracted

Application of the LUMiFrac® for testing the adhesive strength of cathode & anode coatings in lithium-ion batteries In a lithium-ion battery, the smallest unit of each cell consists of two electrodes (anode and cathode), and the separator. The ion-conducting electrolyte is located in between. Typically, the main component of the anode is graphite, which is excellent for storing lithium ions during charging. However, graphite’s limited electrical conductivity can cause inefficiencies in charge and discharge cycles. To boost the anode’s performance, the coating system is applied to a thin copper foil. The copper foil enhances electrical conductivity which facilitates the electron flow between the anode and the rest of the battery, including the cathode. As a result, the battery’s internal resistance decreases, leading to more efficient charging and discharging processes. This translates to higher power output and better overall performance. The coating system prevents corrosion of the copper foil, ensures stability, and maintains electrolyte compatibility. The active material