X-ray diffraction study of heat-treated graphitized and ungraphitized carbon

Heat treatment of graphitized and ungraphitized carbon samples was carried out in air and argon atmosphere from ambient temperature to 700 degrees C. The changes in degree of amorphousness, mean crystallite size and interlaye r separations were studied employing x-ray diffraction. The results reveale d an increase in crystallinity when graphitized carbon was heated to 100 de grees C and above. This enhanced degree of arrangement is indicative of the removal of residual impurities entrapped during the production processes. In ungraphitized carbon, the transition from amorphous to crystalline chara cter was not observed upon heat treatment.