The Utilization of Carbon Nanotubes in Advanced Silicon – Carbon Anode Materials for Lithium-Ion Batteries

Abstract

The unique molecular structure of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) endows them with distinctive properties, notably exceptional conductivity. In lithium-ion batteries, CNTs are employed not only as conductive agents but are also incorporated into silicon-carbon anode materials. Beyond serving as conductive media, CNTs also function as buffer agents to mitigate the volumetric expansion of silicon during the charging and discharging cycles. This chapter will demonstrate the role of CNTs as conductive agents not just for the silicon-carbon electrode but also within hybrid particles, integrating CNTs into silicon-carbon anode materials. It will summarize the methods for assembling CNTs and silicon (Si/SiOx) through either external mixing or in situ growth and the resulting battery performance when utilizing silicon-carbon anodes enhanced with CNTs. This chapter aims to offer a reference for the industrial application of CNTs in lithium-ion battery silicon-carbon anodes by analyzing the latest research and applications of CNTs in such anodes.