Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) have been widely applied in diverse fields due to their exceptional mechanical, electrical, and thermal properties. However, the growing demand for precise control over their structure, crystallinity, and yield is severely hindered by the intricate, multi-factor-influenced CNTs growth process—this has become a critical bottleneck limiting their further application. A key breakthrough in addressing this challenge is the discovery that CNTs growth follows the "synergistic action of matter-driven and energy-driven" mechanisms. Mastering these dual driving mechanisms, establishing the direct link between reaction conditions and product structures, and thereby optimizing reaction paths, emerges as an effective strategy to achieve precise regulation of CNTs nucleation and growth. Against the backdrop of industrialization, this review not only provides a critical theoretical basis for breaking through the bottleneck of precise growth control but also directly propels high-quality CNTs toward broader and more practical application prospects.

&quat;Matter–energy synergy&quat; regulates the growth of CNTs
    Abstract
    1 Introduction
    2 Matter-driven
        2.1 Catalyst
            2.1.1 Dynamic evolution of catalysts
            2.1.2 The design and selection of catalysts
        2.2 Matching and selection of carbon sources
    3 Energy-driven
        3.1 The kinetics and thermodynamics of CNTs growth
        3.2 Thermotropic growth of CNTs
        3.3 Uniformity challenges and solutions in energy-driven regulation
    4 Regulation of CNTs driven by matter-energy
        4.1 Energy-driven and material-driven classification framework: definitions and boundaries
            4.1.1 Thermodynamic dominant factors: essential differences in driving forces
            4.1.2 Dynamic path characteristics: growth rate regulation mechanism
            4.1.3 Microscopic action scale: Atomic-level and macroscopic-level regulation
        4.2 Chirality control
        4.3 Length regulation
        4.4 Morphology control
    5 Summary and outlook
        5.1 Summary
        5.2 Challenge
        5.3 Outlook
    Acknowledgements 
    References

• Ruiliang Wang(Shandong Engineering Laboratory for Preparation and Application of High‑Performance Carbon‑Materials, College of Electromechanical Engineering, Qingdao University of Science and Technology, Shandong 266061, China)
• Chengwei Wu(Shandong Engineering Laboratory for Preparation and Application of High‑Performance Carbon‑Materials, College of Electromechanical Engineering, Qingdao University of Science and Technology, Shandong 266061, China)
• Chenyu Gao(Shandong Engineering Laboratory for Preparation and Application of High‑Performance Carbon‑Materials, College of Electromechanical Engineering, Qingdao University of Science and Technology, Shandong 266061, China)
• Xinyue Zhao(Shandong Engineering Laboratory for Preparation and Application of High‑Performance Carbon‑Materials, College of Electromechanical Engineering, Qingdao University of Science and Technology, Shandong 266061, China)
• Yan He(Shandong Engineering Laboratory for Preparation and Application of High‑Performance Carbon‑Materials, College of Electromechanical Engineering, Qingdao University of Science and Technology, Shandong 266061, China, Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Advanced Energy Storage Technology, Qingdao University, Shandong 266071, China) Corresponding author
• Qianpeng Dong(Shandong Engineering Laboratory for Preparation and Application of High‑Performance Carbon‑Materials, College of Electromechanical Engineering, Qingdao University of Science and Technology, Shandong 266061, China, Shandong Dazhan Nano Materials Co., Ltd. Linchi Town, Binzhou, Zouping City 256220, Shandong Province, China)
• Dianming Chu(Shandong Engineering Laboratory for Preparation and Application of High‑Performance Carbon‑Materials, College of Electromechanical Engineering, Qingdao University of Science and Technology, Shandong 266061, China, Shandong Province Key Laboratory of Rubber-Based High-Performance Composites and Advanced Manufacturing, Shandong, China) Corresponding author
• Wenjuan Bai(Shandong Engineering Laboratory for Preparation and Application of High‑Performance Carbon‑Materials, College of Electromechanical Engineering, Qingdao University of Science and Technology, Shandong 266061, China, Shandong Province Key Laboratory of Rubber-Based High-Performance Composites and Advanced Manufacturing, Shandong, China) Corresponding author
• Yuan Hu(Shandong Province Key Laboratory of Rubber-Based High-Performance Composites and Advanced Manufacturing, Shandong, China, Tongli Tire Co., Ltd. Huaqin Industrial Park, Yanzhou District, Jining City 272106, Shandong, China)