Estimation of diffusivity of alkaline metals in graphite lattice from oxidation rate measurements

A reaction model has been developed for the estimation of diffusivity of th e intercalated species in graphite on the basis of a material balance expre ssed in terms of cylindrical coordinates, where the species in the layered structural cylinder diffuse radially from the center to the surface and rea ct with gas. The resultant kinetic equations are used to analyze the experi mental data for the oxidation rate of potassium atoms intercalated in natur al graphite powder of initially different sizes intercalated at the first s tage.