Effects of processing parameters on the structure and amount of intercalation of copper chloride-graphite intercalation compounds

Natural graphite powders were intercalated with copper chloride using gas p hase reaction in this study. The effects of intercalation temperature, time , and the amount of intercalants on the structure and the amount of interca lation were investigated. An electron probe x-ray microanalyzer (EPMA) was used to quantitatively measure the copper concentration in copper chloride- graphite intercalation compounds. Only stage 1 and stage 2 structures were found in the present processing conditions and the stage structure is mainl y determined by the reaction temperature. Results of EPMA quantitative meas urement indicated that the amount of intercalation increased with increasin g intercalation temperature. However, the amount of intercalation was indep endent of the reaction time due to the small particle size of graphite host materials. (C) 2001 Kluwer Academic Publishers.