The first questions that come to mind when thinking about electric vehicles are, “How far can it go?” and “How fast can it be charged?” Today, battery performance goes beyond being a mere automotive component — it has become the key factor that determines a vehicle’s value and a brand’s competitiveness. However, there are limits to improving conventional charging speed and capacity. A battery must be lighter yet capable of safely storing more energy, and to meet these seemingly conflicting demands, we need materials that are fundamentally different from those of the past.

Today, we introduce CNT (Carbon Nanotube), a next-generation key material. Let’s explore how CNTs are made, where they are used, and how LG Chem is driving innovation in this field.

What is CNT (Carbon Nanotube)?

CNT has a tubular structure with carbon atoms arranged on a nanometer scale. The term “nano” means one billionth of a meter, and the diameter of a CNT is only about one hundred thousandth of the thickness of a human hair. Although it is invisible to the naked eye, this tiny structure holds extraordinary potential. The basic structure of CNT begins with graphene, which is a two-dimensional sheet of carbon atoms arranged in a hexagonal honeycomb pattern. When this sheet is rolled into a cylinder, it becomes CNT, similar in shape to a paper straw. Despite its simple appearance, this structure shows performance that conventional materials cannot match in strength, electrical conductivity, and thermal conductivity. CNT is more than one hundred times stronger than steel yet remarkably light. It also conducts electricity better than copper and has thermal conductivity comparable to that of diamond, which is why it is often called the “dream material.” Thanks to these outstanding properties, CNT is attracting attention in fields such as batteries, semiconductors, aerospace, and sports equipment. Today, CNT has moved beyond the research stage into commercialization and has become a key material that enables performance innovation in electric vehicle batteries and next-generation electronic materials.

Characteristics and Industrial Significance of CNT

The reason CNT is gaining attention is that, despite its thin tubular structure, it integrates key physical properties such as strength, electrical conductivity, and thermal conductivity. Although its size is far smaller than a human hair, its functions are remarkably significant. CNT is lightweight yet strong, and it efficiently transfers electricity and heat, enhancing both the performance and safety of batteries. Its greatest advantage lies in the ability to address multiple technological challenges with a single material. For example, within a battery cell, electrons must travel along the electrode path as quickly and efficiently as possible to minimize losses. Even in small amounts, CNT forms microscopic pathways that allow electrons to move freely. The denser these pathways are, the lower the internal resistance and the faster the charging speed. This contributes to a longer driving range, or for the same distance, shorter charging time. In addition, CNT’s flexible network structure accommodates the expansion and contraction of electrodes, reducing micro-cracks and enhancing the battery’s lifespan and reliability.

Heat management is another crucial factor. When the heat generated during energy transfer stays concentrated in one area, it can lower performance and lead to safety risks. CNT quickly spreads this heat laterally, dispersing localized hot spots within the electrode. By evenly distributing heat, the entire cell operates more stably and efficiently, securing both power output and safety. CNT also offers significant advantages in manufacturing and sustainability. Owing to its long, slender structure, CNTs intertwine within the electrode slurry* to form an electrical network even in small quantities. Reducing the use of additives improves process stability and lowers production costs. Moreover, it enables the same level of performance with a lighter structure, reducing vehicle weight and overall energy consumption. In other words, CNT enhances efficiency across both production and operation stages.

The advantages of CNT extend beyond batteries to electronic and composite materials. It helps minimize electrical signal loss and disperse heat, keeping components stable, while serving as a lightweight yet strong reinforcing material. Because of these properties, CNT demonstrates high versatility across a wide range of industries, including mobility and electronics. In essence, CNT is a next-generation material capable of addressing key challenges of electric vehicles — charging speed, driving range, battery lifespan, safety, and weight reduction — all at once. For this reason, CNT is widely regarded as a key enabler accelerating the advancement of future mobility and the electronics industry.

*Slurry: A material in which tiny solid particles are suspended in a liquid, allowing it to flow like a liquid.

LG Chem’s CNT

For a long time, CNT existed only as a topic of discussion in research laboratories. To be applied in industrial settings, stable manufacturing technology and a reliable mass-production system are essential. This is where LG Chem has built its differentiated competitiveness. Since establishing a CNT mass-production system in 2017, LG Chem has been driving full-scale commercialization. Centered on the Daesan plant in Korea, the company has continuously expanded its production lines and now stably supplies several thousand tons of CNT annually. LG Chem’s strength lies not merely in its production capacity, but in its ability to achieve large-scale manufacturing while maintaining uniform quality and high purity. This competitiveness stems from LG Chem’s proprietary cobalt-based catalyst technology and its advanced process-optimization expertise.

CNT produced through this process is supplied to major battery manufacturers both in Korea and overseas. As the EV market continues to expand, demands for higher battery performance and safety are increasing. LG Chem’s CNT serves as a key material that enhances electrode efficiency, meeting these growing requirements. Beyond supplying raw materials, LG Chem also contributes to improving actual product performance through co-development and technical support with its partners.

LG Chem is actively expanding its global supply chain to meet the growing demand for CNT in overseas markets. Recently, the company has strategically showcased CNT at international exhibitions and industry events, strengthening collaborations with partners across the EV, energy, and electronic materials sectors. The CNT business has evolved beyond a new material research achievement to become one of LG Chem’s key future growth engines.

LG Chem cites CNT as a representative example of applying laboratory research outcomes to industrial production. This has been made possible through the company’s stable mass-production technology, global customer network, continuous investment, and ongoing technological innovation.

CNT is evolving beyond a simple nanomaterial, opening new possibilities across the EV battery and electronic materials industries. By addressing both performance and safety, it leads the way toward lighter, more efficient technologies of the future. Amid a rapidly changing market, LG Chem, together with its partners, continues to develop high-value CNT solutions and expand their applications. We look forward to seeing CNT bring innovation to more industries and everyday life. Advancing the future through innovative materials — LG Chem’s CNT is leading the way.