E-CUBE MATERIALS

Conductive additive for LIB Anode

Signle-walled carbon nanotube (SWCNT) +

Double-walled carbon nanotube (DWCNT) mixed type

Why SWCNT + DWCNT mixed type?

Single-walled carbon nanotubes are fibrous conductive materials with a diameter of 1 to 2 nm and an aspect ratio of over 1,000. SWCNT has more than 50 times more fibers than MWCNT, so it reduces the amount of conductive material to 1/5 and is a high-performance additive that simultaneously increases the content and lifespan of anode and cathode materials. However, the price of pure SWCNT is more than 10 times that of MWCNT, which greatly reduces its economic feasibility.

Accordingly, E-cube Materials developed a SWCNT+DWCNT mixed type that has lower performance than SWCNT but is superior to MWCNT. The mixed type has the great advantage of being able to be manufactured through a process similar to MWCNT and being produced at 1/4 the price of SWCNT.

SEM & TEM image of SWCNT+DWCNT

In the first developed product, ECNT-23, efforts were made to reduce residual iron after purification by using iron as a catalyst, but it was a difficult process. Accordingly, in the product developed in 2024, iron was replaced with cobalt so that no residual iron exists. Cobalt is one of the components of lithium-ion battery cathode materials and has a high residual amount tolerance, making the purification process and quality control easier.

Raman & powder resistance of SWCNT+DWCNT

The difference between SWCNT + DWCNT mixed type and pure SWCNT can be seen in Raman. In the mixed type, two or more peaks are formed in RBM mode, indicating the presence of DWCNT. (In other companies’ products, two peaks may appear even if two types of SWCNT are formed.)

DWCNTs have an average diameter of 2 ~3 nm, with a maximum diameter of 4 nm. The electrical conductivity of DWCNT is 1/2 to 1/3 that of SWCNT, and the electrical conductivity of a 50% SWCNT + 50% DWCNT mixture product is 1/2 that of SWCNT, making it a highly competitive price-performance product.

Sample supply information

SWCNT + DWCNT mixed product is under development.