CNTs with bamboo-like structure (B-CNTs) has been prepared via a CVD process with novel carbon precursor. The potential application of B-CNTs as electric conductive additive and anode materials for lithium ion batteries was explored. The EIS spectra prove that it is better electric conductive additive than multiwalled CNTs and traditional carbon black (CB). The electric resistance of the electrode is decreased around 20 Omega when B-CNTs is used instead of CB. The cycle stability is also enhanced. However, the test cell with B-CNTs as anode material shows low reversible capacity of 135 mAh g(-1) and very low initial cycle efficiency of 17.3%, which indicates that so-prepared B-CNTs is not suitable for anode material. (C) 2008 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.