Intercalation of Graphite Fibers and Filaments

Abstract

Intercalation compounds are formed by the insertion of atomic or molecular layers of a guest chemical species between layers in a host material such as graphite. Numerous reviews and conference proceedings on graphite intercalation compounds (GICs) are available [Vogel and Hérold 1977; Hérold 1979; Vogel 1980; Dresselhaus and Dresselhaus 1981; Pietronero and Tosatti 1981; Nishina et al. 1981; Solin 1982; Hérold and Guérard 1983; Dresselhaus et al. 1983, 1986; Eklund et al. 1984; Dresselhaus 1987]. The intercalation process occurs in highly anisotropic layered structures where the intraplanar binding forces are large in comparison with the interplanar binding forces. The guest species in an intercalation compound exhibits order, in contrast to doping where the guest species tends to occupy random locations. Intercalation provides the host material with a means for controlled variation of many physical properties over wide ranges. Intercalation can proceed with either donor intercalants which transfer electrons to the graphite host material or with acceptors which receive electrons from the graphite.