Abstract:

sp² Nanocarbon materials have attracted great interests in recent years due to their superior electrical,thermal and mechanical properties. Such properties are highly desirable for forming high performance electrodes and, as a result, the materials have found wide applications in lithium ion batteries. This paper provides a state-ofthe-art review of the applications of sp² nanocarbons in lithium ion batteries. Particular attention is drawn on the use of sp² nanocarbon as a high-capacity anode material and a highly electrically conductive, structurally strong and even flexible framework in which other electrode materials (e.g. silicon and metal oxides) can be incorporated to form coaxial or core-shell composites. It is concluded that further understanding of lithium ion storage mechanisms in sp² nanocarbon, controllable and scalable synthesis of the material, and methodologies for constructing threedimensional sp2 nanocarbon electrodes with a high performance are among the most important aspects for future research.

Key words: sp² nanocarbon, lithium ion batteries, electrical conductivity, fexibility, structural stability