Research Trends on the Dispersibility of Carbon Nanotube Suspension with Surfactants in Their Application as Electrodes of Batteries: A Mini-Review

In the battery field, carbon nanotubes (CNTs) attract much attention due to their potential as a supporting conducting material for anodes or cathodes. The performance of cathodes or anodes can be optimized by introducing densely packed CNTs, which can be achieved with high dispersibility. The efficiency of CNT usage can be maximized by enhancing their dispersibility. An effective technique to this end is to incorporate surfactants on the surface of CNTs. The surfactant produces a surface charge that can increase the zeta potential of CNTs, thereby preventing their agglomeration. Additionally, surfactants having long chains of tail groups can increase the steric hindrance, which also enhances the dispersibility. Notably, the dispersibility of CNTs depends on the type of surfactant. Therefore, the results of dispersibility studies of CNTs involving different surfactants must be comprehensively reviewed to enhance the understanding of the effects of different surfactants on dispersibility. Consequently, this paper discusses the effect of different types of surfactants on the dispersibility of CNTs and presents several perspectives for future research on dispersibility enhancement.