Preparation and stability of a ternarypotassium-tetrahydrofuran-graphite intercalation compound

By using orthogonal design to optimize reaction conditions, a stage 1 potassiumtetrahydrofurangraphite intercalation compound (KTHFGIC) was synthesized. A high concentration of intercalants and a long reaction time are favorable for the graphite to react completely and to form stage 1 KTHFGIC. The stability of stage 1 KTHFGIC was investigated by Xray diffraction. The results showed that K and THF deintercalated from the interlayer space of the graphite when stage 1 KTHFGIC was exposed to air, washed by solvent and heated, which was accompanied by formation of a higher stage KTHFGIC which is more stable than stage 1 KTHFGIC. The processes of K and THF intercalation into and deintercalation from the interlayer space of graphite were discussed.