Gelatin methacryloyl-mediated integration of lithium cobalt oxide with carbon nanotubes for a conductive composite

Uniform dispersion of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) within lithium cobalt oxide (LCO)-based conductive composites is essential for establishing efficient conductive pathways but remains challenging due to CNT agglomeration. Here, we present a gelatin methacryloyl (GelMA)-assisted dispersion strategy for constructing conductive LCO/CNT composites with controlled microstructural organization. LCO particles and CNTs were assembled within GelMA-stabilized emulsions, followed by freeze-drying to preserve the assembled architecture and subsequent pyrolysis to remove the GelMA matrix. X-ray diffraction confirmed that the crystalline structure of LCO was maintained after thermal treatment, while Raman spectroscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy verified the complete removal of GelMA. SEM observations revealed uniform CNT distribution and intimate CNT-LCO interfacial contact within the composite. Comparison with a pyrolyzed LCO/CNT control prepared without GelMA demonstrated that thermal treatment alone was insufficient to achieve the observed structural and electrical improvements. Instead, the GelMA-assisted dispersion process promoted the formation of an interconnected CNT network throughout the electrode architecture. The resulting composite exhibited reduced electrical resistance and enhanced conductivity, indicating that electrical conductivity is governed primarily by CNT dispersion and network connectivity rather than by porosity alone. This work establishes a practical gel-mediated process for dispersing, assembling, and thermally consolidating LCO/CNT composites, providing a generalizable route to conductive particulate architectures for composite manufacturing.