Abstract: Advanced and developing economies across the globe increasingly require sustainable and affordable infrastructure to meet the basic needs of their growing populations. Flow-assisted electrochemical systems (FAESs) embody an emerging class of scalable energy storage and water purification technologies that can meet this need. At the heart of many FAESs is the suspension electrode. This electrode consists of electrically conducting particles suspended in an insulating fluid that maintains an electrically percolated network under flow. Via the suspension electrode, the capacity of the current collectors to do electrochemical work can be enhanced. Unfortunately, existing suspension electrodes exhibit poor rheological performance. I will present our work on understanding the microstructural connection to the rheological and electrical properties of slurry electrodes composed of carbon black and chart a path to improved performance.