REDUCTION OF THE 2ND STAGE FECL4- AND FECL3 GRAPHITE-INTERCALATION COMPOUNDS

FeCl4- graphite intercalation compounds (GIC) were obtained by anodic oxidation of graphite in an aqueous solution and were subsequently sub mitted to galvanostatic reduction in a: Li / LiCO4 1M in propylene car bonate / GIC cell. The intensiostatic and structural data were compare d to those obtained on partly reduced 2nd stage FeCl3 GIC. Whereas a ' 'one step reduction'' is observed with the FeCl3 GIC, the reduction of the 2nd stage FeCl4 GIC takes place with at least four well defined p lateaus. The beginning of the last step corresponds to a stable 6 th s tage structure. Increasing the charge passed through the samples leads to the exfoliation of the graphitic lattice and to the formation of m etallic iron, exhibited by important ferromagnetic susceptibility.