CNT-integrated quartz fabric electrode enables structural lithium-ion batteries

Lithium-ion batteries offer many advantages and are used in a variety of applications such as portable electronic devices, electric vehicles, and in aerospace and marine sectors. Considerable research is also being conducted to improve the capacity, energy density, and safety of these batteries.

Here, the potential of quartz woven fabric (QWF) as a cathode material for next-generation lithium secondary batteries was investigated by optimizing QWF electrodes through uniform growth of carbon nanotubes (CNT) using a nickel metal catalyst in a chemical vapor deposition process. QWF electrode substrates coated with Ni catalyst were fabricated by heating at 600 °C and 700 °C (named C-QWF-600 and C-QWF-700, respectively). C-QWF-700 exhibited an excellent discharge capacity of 201.54 mAh g⁻¹ at a 0.1 C charge/discharge rate and showed a capacity retention of 89.8% relative to the initial discharge capacity after 50 charge/discharge cycles. This not only provides stable electrochemical performance but also presents a new perspective on fiber electrodes for lithium-ion batteries capable of supporting structural loads.

The work titled “Fiber-reinforced CNT-integrated quartz fabrics as multifunctional electrodes for structural lithium-ion batteries”, was published on Energy Materials (published on Dec. 10, 2025).