[Press Release] Tohoku University-Affiliated Startup 3DC, Developing Next-Generation Carbon Material for Batteries, Launches New Conductive Additive to Enhance Lithium-Ion Battery Life and Performance

(Left: “Conductive Additive GMS” to be shipped this time, Right: Image showing how GMS improves battery performance)

– Initiating mass production of conductive additives enabling high voltage, high rate, and high energy density, contributing towards a decarbonized society –

3DC Inc. (Headquarters: Sendai City, Miyagi Prefecture; CEO: Takuma Kuroda, CSO: Hirotomo Nishihara), a company dedicated to the development, manufacture, and supply of innovative carbon materials “Graphene MesoSponge® (GMS)” to accelerate battery evolution, announced that it has successfully completed the development of GMS intended for use as a conductive additive in lithium-ion batteries and commenced shipping to selected companies in February 2024.

Samples of the “Conductive Additive GMS” will also be displayed at the “BATTERY JAPAN Int’l Rechargeable Battery Expo” to be held at Tokyo Big Sight from February 28 to March 1, 2024 (Booth No.: E28-20) (for reference: here).

3DC is committed to ramping up the mass production of this new product to enhance the performance and lifespan of existing lithium-ion batteries.

■About the Newly Shipped “Conductive Additive GMS”

3DC has been advancing research and development to utilize Graphene MesoSponge ®(GMS) in a variety of devices such as lithium-ion batteries, next-generation batteries, and capacitors (for more details, refer to our website’s “Product” section). Among these, we have commenced the shipping of GMS specifically designed for use as a conductive additive in lithium-ion batteries.

A conductive additive is a material added to the electrodes of lithium-ion batteries to improve conductivity. 3DC’s “Conductive Additive GMS” features a unique structure that efficiently forms high conductivity paths, enabling performance enhancement of high-voltage, high-rate cathodes and silicon-based anodes expected to achieve high energy density. This is achieved even with a lower addition rate than traditional conductive additives such as carbon black or carbon nanotubes.

■Production ramp-up of “Conductive Additive GMS”

In February 2024, 3DC began shipping our “Conductive Additive GMS” to select manufacturers both domestically and internationally. Going forward, we are focused on ramping up production of “GMS as Conductive Additive” to expand our offerings to a wider range of companies.

If you are interested in our products, please do not hesitate to contact 3DC.

Contact Form: https://www.3dc.co.jp/contact/
Email: info@3dc.co.jp

■About 3DC Inc.

3DC is a venture company originating from Tohoku University, dedicated to developing ‘Graphene MesoSponge®(GMS)’, a new carbon material for essential energy storage and generation devices in a decarbonized society, including lithium-ion batteries, next-generation batteries, capacitors, and fuel cells.

GMS is a unique ‘three-dimensional graphene’ material, possessing a sponge-like structure with a thickness of just one carbon atom. Its most remarkable feature is its phsyical compliance, allowing it to elastically deform like rubber and easily adapt to the intense structural changes associated with battery charging and discharging. 3DC is the sole developer of such a ‘deformable carbon material’ globally. Additionally, GMS’s exceptional porosity, conductivity, and corrosion resistance draw global attention as an innovative material capable of solving the trade-off problem between lifespan and performance, a long-standing challenge in carbon materials.

3DC is actively collaborating with domestic and international battery manufacturers, battery material producers, capacitor manufacturers, and automotive OEMs to demonstrate GMS’s capabilities in preparation for a full-scale market entry after 2024. The data gathered so far, especially for lithium-ion batteries, has shown advantages over existing competitive products, leading to significant interest from battery manufacturers.

In January 2024, 3DC successfully raised 250 million yen in our Pre-Series A first close, bringing our total fundraising to 680 million yen. The funds will be utilized to establish a full-scale manufacturing system for various GMS products.

Our long-term goal is to realize a society that is kind to both the environment and people, where GMS plays a vital role in every aspect of electrical energy storage and use.

■Join Our Team!

3DC is on the lookout for individuals eager to join us in our mission towards achieving a decarbonized society. If you’re interested, please don’t hesitate to reach out to us through the following channels:

Recruitment Form: here
Email: info@3dc.co.jp
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/3dc-inc
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/3dcinc

<Company Info>
Name: 3DC Inc.
Head office：Material Solutions Center 203 Laboratory, Tohoku University, 2-1-1, Katahira, Aoba Ward, Sendai City, MIyagi Prefecture
Founders：Takuma Kuroda (CEO), Hirotomo Nishihara (CSO)
Established：February, 2022
URL：https://www.3dc.co.jp/en
Main Business：Development and manufacturing of carbon materials

<Contact Info>
Web:  https://www.3dc.co.jp/en/contact/
Email: info@3dc.co.jp

If you are interested in more information about GMS, joint research with 3DC, or an R&D job at 3DC, please feel free to contact us!!

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