Carbon　solely　can　form　a　lot　of　nanostructures,　such　as　zero-dimensional　nanosphere,　one-dimensional　nanotube　and　two-dimensional　graphene.　They　perform　differently　in　Li-ion　and　Li-S　batteries.　It　is　worth　noting　that　CNTs　and　graphene　are　not　appropriate　to　be　used　as　electroactive　materials　for　Li-ion　or　Li-S　batteries　for　four　reasons.　First,　when　CNTs　and　graphene　are　used　as　an　anode,　they　often　exhibit　high　specific　capacities　during　the　first　lithiation　step,　but　a　large　fraction　of　lithium　ions　is　irreversibly　consumed　instead　of　reversibly　stored,　leading　to　a　low　Coulombic　efficiency　of　the　cell.　Second,　a　graphene-based　anode　has　a　large　voltage　hysteresis　in　the　charge/discharge　curves.　Third,　it　has　been　reported　a　CNT-based　anode　lacks　a　steady　voltage　plateau　with　large　change　in　voltage　during　discharge.　Fourth,　despite　their　high　initial　capacities,　graphene　and　CNT-based　anodes　often　suffer　from　fast　capacity　decay　after　a　few　tens　of　cycles.　Continuous　efforts　have　been　made　to　build　better　lithium　batteries　with　a　higher　energy　density　and　wider　applicability,　including　both　current　state-of-the-art　Li-ion　batteries　and　near-term　Li-S　batteries.　Because　the　behavior　of　a　rechargeable　battery　is　mainly　based　on　the　performance　of　its　anode　and　cathode,　designing　advanced　electrode　materials　as　well　as　electrode　with　tailored　compositions　and　structures　has　been　the　hot　topic　in　recent　years.　The　role　of　carbon　nano-materials　to　construct　electrode　materials　and　tailored　electrodes　in　Li-ion　and　Li-S　batteries　in　high　performance　was　reviewed　in　the　paper　from　three　aspects.　Firstly,　the　role　of　carbon　nano-materials　in　modifying　the　electroactive　materials　was　discussed　from　three　aspects:　electron-　and　ion-transport　facilitators,　immobilization　sites　and　volume　expansion　buffering.　Secondly,　the　role　of　carbon　nano-materials　in　optimizing　the　inactive　components　was　considered　as　follows:　conducting　additives,　current　collectors　and　conductive　interlayers.　Thirdly,　the　role　of　carbon　nano-materials　in　designing　the　bendable　and　stretchable　devices　are　discussed　from　three　aspects:　conductive　phases　in　nonconductive　substrates,　flexible　current　collectors　and　freestanding　composite　electrode.　Finally,　perspectives　on　future　development　of　Li-ion　and　Li-S　batteries　were　presented.　It　is　considered　that　multi-functional　carbon　nano-materials　will　be　main　research　focus　in　the　future.　©　2020,　Journal　of　Materials　Engineering.　All　right　reserved.