RESEARCH
February 8, 2009

Nanotube-carbon paper combo promises light batteries

Grow carbon nanotubes on carbon paper and you have lightweight, flexible electrodes for lithium-ion batteries.

The carbon nanotubes form highly porous surfaces on the larger carbon paper fibers, which helps the material hold lithium ions. The material has a higher capacity than most commercially available lithium-ion battery electrodes.

The material's light weight promises to be particularly useful for making vehicle batteries. It's flexibility could also be useful in making batteries that are part of flexible or irregularly-shaped objects like clothing and vehicle skins.

Research paper:
Carbon Nanotube Network Modified Carbon Fibre Paper for Li-Ion Batteries
Energy & Environmental Science, published online January 26, 2009

Researchers' homepage:
Intelligent Polymer Research Institute, University of Wollongong

Related stories and briefs:
Silicon nanowires boost batteries -- related research
Nano tin electrodes beat graphite -- related research
Porous silicon boosts lithium batteries -- related research


Back to ERN February 9/16, 2009

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