Advances in Lithium-Ion Battery Technology Based on Functionalized Carbon Nanotubes for Electrochemical Energy Storage

Increasing demand for higher energy density and higher-power energy-storage devices from the portable power market and the automobile and telecommunication industries have led to the search for novel materials for electrodes or electrolytes that offer higher capacities and energy densities and better performance than the electrochemical energy-storage devices available today. It is recognized that these requirements cannot be met solely by the capabilities of conventional systems and energy materials. Nanomaterials, a cutting-edge technology, can serve as an alternative to traditional materials. Among these, carbon nanotubes (CNTs) and their hybrid nanostructures have been extensively studied in electrochemical energy storage devices such as lithium-ion batteries (LIBs), supercapacitors, solar cells, and fuel cells as ideal electrode materials. This is because of their unique, one-dimensional (1D) tubular structure and high surface area, aspect ratio, chemical stability, electrical, and thermal conductivities, along with their extremely high mechanical strength. Studies show that CNTs are capable of greatly improving the electrochemical characteristics of energy-storage systems, with enhanced energy conversion and storage capacities. This chapter discusses recent advances in lithium-ion/air batteries based on CNTs and their functionalized derivatives for electrochemical energy storage.