Electrochemical Properties of Multi-Wall Carbon Nanotubes as a Novel Negative Electrode for Calcium Secondary Batteries

We investigated the electrochemical behavior and properties of multi-wall carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) as a novel negative electrode for calcium ion batteries during charging and discharging. The second charge and discharge capacities were ~63 and ~43 mAh g –1 in propylene carbonate-based electrolyte and ~86 and ~60 mAh g –1 in ethylene carbonate-based electrolyte, respectively. X-ray diffraction analysis results showed that the inter-layer distance of the MWCNTs was increased after charging, indicating that calcium ions were intercalated into the MWCNT graphitic sheets during the charging. The electrochemical performance of the MWCNT electrode was improved by using ball milling to introduce defects.