The Application of Carbon Nanotube Electrode in Lithium-Ion Batteries

Abstract

Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) have emerged as promising materials for enhancing lithium-ion battery (LIB) performance due to their exceptional electrical conductivity, mechanical strength, and unique nanostructure. This review examines the application of CNTs in both anode and cathode materials, highlighting their advantages and existing challenges. In anodes, single-walled CNTs (SWCNTs) effectively mitigate silicon particle volume expansion while providing high conductivity, enabling capacities up to ~3200 mAh·g^-¹. Multi-walled CNTs (MWCNTs) serve as robust scaffolds for silicon coatings, improving coulombic efficiency from 12% to 94% after 10 cycles. However, issues such as irreversible lithium loss, SEI formation, and high production costs persist. For cathodes, annealed MWCNTs form 3D conductive networks that enhance LiNi_0.5Co_0.2 Mn_0.3O₂ (NCM) performance, achieving 173.16 mAh·g^-¹ at 0.1 C and 95.8% capacity retention after 100 cycles. Nevertheless, energy-intensive annealing and dispersion challenges hinder scalability. Key limitations include defect-related side reactions, van der Waals aggregation, and electrolyte decomposition. Future research should focus on hybrid architectures, cost-effective synthesis, and scalable manufacturing to realize CNTs' full potential in next-generation LIBs.