Abstract: Carbon nanostructures are used to prepare electrode compositions for lithium ion batteries. In one example, a cathode for NCM batteries includes three-dimensional carbon nanostructures which are made of highly entangled nanotubes, fragments of carbon nanostructures and/or fractured nanotubes which are derived from the carbon nanostructures, are branched and share walls with one another. Amounts of carbon nanostructures employed can be less than or equal to 1 weight % relative to the electrode composition.

Abstract: An electrode includes an electrode composition having graphenes; carbon black particles having a Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) surface area greater than 90 m2/g, and an oil adsorption number (OAN) greater than 150 mL/100 g, wherein the ratio of the carbon black particles to the graphenes ranges from 3:1 to 6:1 by weight; and an electroactive material selected from the group consisting of lithium nickel cobalt manganese oxide and lithium nickel cobalt aluminum oxide, wherein the total concentration of the graphenes and the carbon black particles is equal to or less than 2 wt % of the electrode composition; and a current collector contacting the electrode composition.

Abstract: A composition, includes: carbon black particles having a surface energy less than 5 mJ/m2; graphite particles having a BET surface area greater than 5 m2/g and more than about 50 graphitic layers, wherein the ratio of the carbon black particles to the graphite particles ranges from 0.25:1 to 4:1 by weight; and a liquid medium.