Electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) is a powerful tool for tracking free radicals, while the flat cell is the “heart” of in situ liquid-phase EPR testing. For years, however, this critical component has depended heavily on imported quartz products. With prices ranging from USD 800 to USD 3,000 per unit and a fragile “break-on-impact” nature, quartz flat cells have long been both indispensable and frustrating for research groups.
Now, a dual-electrode flat cell jointly developed by Beijing University of Technology, Tsinghua University, Wuhan University, and other participating institutions—and industrialized by Perfectlight—is quietly changing the situation. It costs only a fraction of imported products while delivering performance comparable to, or even better than, conventional quartz cells.
01 | Why Can Such a Small Flat Cell Hold Back an Entire Experiment?
Researchers who have worked with liquid-phase EPR know that polar solvents such as water strongly absorb microwaves. Much of the signal can be “swallowed” before meaningful data are collected.
The thin-layer structure of a flat cell, with a chamber thickness of only approximately 0.1–0.5 mm, greatly shortens the microwave transmission path through the liquid phase and can improve the signal-to-noise ratio by more than one order of magnitude. At the same time, its open-chamber design provides space for electrodes and optical fibers, making it a core component for in situ electrochemical EPR and in situ photochemical EPR.
In other words, without a suitable flat cell, in situ electrochemical or photochemical EPR experiments may simply be impossible to carry out effectively.
The practical problem is clear: imported quartz flat cells are expensive and fragile. A single handling mistake, a sudden temperature change, or even a minor collision during cleaning can destroy the cell instantly. Students may be afraid to use it, supervisors may hesitate to purchase spares, and overall experimental efficiency becomes constrained by one consumable component.
The pain points are straightforward:
- Expensive: USD 800–3,000 per unit
- Fragile: Quartz material that can easily crack or break
- Rigid: Fixed structure with almost no room for customization
02 | Additive Manufacturing Enables a Domestic Solution That Goes Head-to-Head with Quartz Cells
The team led by Zaicheng Sun and Yichang Liu at Beijing University of Technology developed this integrated flat cell using proprietary high-performance additive-manufacturing technology and equipment, together with patented structural designs and fabrication processes. Perfectlight has been exclusively entrusted with bringing the product to market. The related research has been published in Chemical Engineering Journal (DOI: 10.1016/j.cej.2025.172246).
It is not merely a lower-cost substitute for a quartz cell. It is a next-level alternative:
It can do what quartz cells can do—and it can also do things that conventional quartz cells cannot.
Core Comparison
| Comparison | Conventional Quartz Flat Cell | Perfectlight 3D-Printed Flat Cell |
|---|---|---|
| Price | USD 800–3,000 per unit | Substantially lower cost |
| Durability | Highly fragile | Strong, durable, and reusable |
| Temperature Range | Limited | Wide operating range from 80 K to 353 K |
| Solvent Compatibility | Moderate | Compatible with water and more than 10 organic solvents |
| Background Signal | Low | Essentially no EPR background signal |
| Detection Limit | Micromolar level | As low as 1 × 10−6 M, approximately one order of magnitude better than the capillary method |
| Customization | Almost impossible | Flexible structure and customizable on demand |
Key Specifications at a Glance
- Internal chamber dimensions: 0.4 × 6 × 50 mm, featuring an ultra-thin chamber and very low microwave absorption
- Reaction systems: Compatible with both aqueous and organic-phase systems
- Compatible instruments: CIQTEK EPR200, EPR200M, EPR200-Plus, EPR260, and EPR300; JEOL JES-FA200; Bruker E500; and other mainstream EPR systems
- Material: High-strength photosensitive resin, integrally formed without bonded seams
Why choose it? Spend less, obtain better signals, and eliminate the constant worry of breakage.
03 | Peer-Reviewed Evidence: How Has It Performed in High-Level Research?
Product performance should be judged by data. The Perfectlight flat cell has already played a key characterization role in a series of high-level studies.
Case 1: Direct Detection of Reactive Hydrogen Radicals in Alkaline Hydrogen Evolution
A team from Beijing University of Technology used the flat cell to achieve in situ electrolytic EPR testing under aqueous conditions and successfully capture short-lived reactive hydrogen radicals (·H) generated during the alkaline hydrogen evolution reaction (HER). The characteristic DMPO-H signal enabled a precise distinction between the activities of PtRuFeCoNi high-entropy alloy and Pt/C catalysts. The work was published in Small.
Why it matters: The study provides a standardized EPR characterization approach for high-performance alkaline HER catalysts and helps move mechanistic analysis beyond indirect speculation.
Case 2: Direct Radical Evidence for Electrochemical C–N Cross-Coupling
Using time-resolved in situ EPR, the joint research team monitored the evolution of phenothiazine nitrogen radical cations and p-methoxyphenol radical intermediates in real time. The experiment directly confirmed the radical-addition pathway involved in C–N coupling. The results were published in Chemical Engineering Journal.
Case 3: Solvent-Controlled Radical Rearrangement
p-Methoxyphenol forms aryl radicals in acetonitrile, but rearranges into oxygen-centered radicals in hexafluoroisopropanol. In situ EPR accurately identified the two radical structures, enabling selective C–O cross-coupling between diphenylamine and phenol. In this way, mechanistic understanding directly guided synthetic design.
Case 4: Ultra-Low-Concentration Detection and 80 K Low-Temperature Compatibility
At a TEMPO concentration of 1 × 10−6 M, the signal-to-noise ratio remained comparable to that of a quartz flat cell. Under 80 K low-temperature conditions, the cell also successfully captured superoxide radical-anion signals. High sensitivity and low-temperature compatibility can therefore be achieved with a single cell.
04 | Important Notes for Low-Temperature Operation
The flat cell supports testing across a wide temperature range from 80 K to 353 K. Please observe the following precautions during low-temperature experiments, especially when using the free trial version:
- An excessively rapid cooling rate may damage the cell.
- Wear protective gloves and safety goggles when handling liquid nitrogen.
05 | Free Trial · Limited Availability
Research groups conducting in situ EPR experiments should not miss this opportunity. The Perfectlight dual-electrode flat cell is now available for free trial.
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Trial Product | One dual-electrode flat cell, trial version |
| Applicable Tests | In situ EPR · Electrochemical EPR · Photochemical EPR |
| Temperature Range | 80 K–353 K |
| Compatible Instruments | Mainstream EPR systems from CIQTEK, JEOL, Bruker, and other manufacturers |
| Eligibility | Open only to end-user researchers at universities and research institutes |
| Availability | First come, first served, while supplies last |
How to Apply
Scan the QR code below and complete the free-trial application form. Once your application is approved, the trial cell will be shipped as soon as possible.
https://v.wjx.cn/vm/YQovggw.aspx
Consultation Hotline: 400-116-1365
Beijing Perfectlight Technology Co., Ltd. was founded in 2006. It is a National High-Tech Enterprise and one of the first “Specialized, Refined, Distinctive, and Innovative” enterprises recognized in Beijing. Its product portfolio covers more than ten series, including light sources, photochemical, photoelectrochemical, photothermal and thermal-catalytic systems, and characterization and testing equipment. Perfectlight products support more than 3,000 laboratories and have been exported to nearly 50 countries. The company’s equipment has contributed to the publication of more than 10,000 SCI-indexed papers.
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Beijing Perfectlight Technology Co., Ltd. (Beijing Perfectlight), founded in 2006, specializes in intelligent, high-precision, and high-performance equipment and integrated solutions, combining research and development, manufacturing, sales, and service. The company is a National High-Tech Enterprise, a Zhongguancun High-Tech Enterprise, and one of the first “Specialized, Refined, Distinctive, and Innovative” enterprises recognized in Beijing. It is certified under the ISO 9001, ISO 14001, and ISO 45001 management systems, and its after-sales service complies with the five-star requirements of GB/T 27922-2011.
Its product portfolio covers more than ten series, including light sources, photochemical, photoelectrochemical, photothermal and thermal-catalytic systems, characterization and testing systems, pilot-scale and production-oriented equipment, and photochemical synthesis systems. These products serve the renewable-energy, pharmaceutical-synthesis, fine-chemical, and advanced-materials sectors and support the full development chain from fundamental research and laboratory-scale testing to pilot-scale verification and industrial scale-up.
Perfectlight products are used in more than 3,000 laboratories and exported to nearly 50 countries. They have supported the publication of more than 10,000 SCI-indexed papers. The company has led or participated in the formulation of multiple national and industry standards, undertaken projects under China’s National Key Research and Development Program, obtained numerous core intellectual-property rights and “Beijing New Technology and New Product” certifications, and helped industrial customers establish photochemical production lines at metric-ton and hundred-metric-ton scales.
