Conductive additives are small amounts of highly conductive materials (usually carbon-based, like carbon black, graphene, or carbon nanotubes) incorporated into battery electrode formulations to enhance electrical conductivity. Active materials in electrodes can be somewhat insulating or lose contact as they expand and contract, so adding a conductive network ensures that active material contact is maintained electrons can flow freely through the electrode to the current collector. While crucial for performance (helping deliver high power and uniform current distribution), conductive additives do not store energy themselves and thus are kept to a minimal percentage of the electrode.
