Abstract: An electrode for a battery is augmented with vertically aligned carbon nanotubes, allowing both improved storage density of lithium ions and the increase electrical and thermal conductivity. Carbon nanotubes are extremely good electrical and thermal conductors, and can be grown directly on the electrode (e.g., anode or cathode) current collector metals, allowing direct electrical contact. Additionally carbon nanotubes have an ideal aspect ratio, having lengths potentially thousands of times as long as their widths, 10 to 1,000 nanometers. In an embodiment, the carbon nanotube electrode (e.g., an anode) comprises a silicon matrix, allowing withstanding volumetric changes exhibited during cycling of the electrochemical cell. In an embodiment, the carbon nanotube electrode (e.g., a cathode) comprises embedded sulfur, allowing both the improved retention of elemental sulfur and increase electrical conductivity.

Abstract: An electrode for a battery is augmented with vertically aligned carbon nanotubes, allowing both improved storage density of lithium ions and the increase electrical and thermal conductivity. Carbon nanotubes are extremely good electrical and thermal conductors, and can be grown directly on the electrode (e.g., anode or cathode) current collector metals, allowing direct electrical contact. Additionally carbon nanotubes have an ideal aspect ratio, having lengths potentially thousands of times as long as their widths, 10 to 1,000 nanometers. In an embodiment, the carbon nanotube electrode (e.g., a cathode) comprises embedded elemental sulfur, allowing both the improved retention of elemental sulfur and increase electrical conductivity. The surface of carbon nanotubes are nearly chemically identical to carbon, binding the sulfur atoms to the carbon nanotubes, preventing the “loss” of sulfur with the formation of LiS intermediate products.