Techniques for controlling stage structure of metal chloride-GIC

Graphite intercalation compounds (GICs) are of interest to chemists and physicists because of their unusual properties. In recent years, much attention has been focused on the preparation and the properties of GICs and on their utilization. The present paper attempts to summarize recent experimental results relating to the novel methods to control precisely the stage structure of metal chloride-GICs. For vapor phase intercalation of AlCl3, the activity of halogens or CrO3 as additives was found to control the stage structure of obtained GICs. The extent of EuCl3 and TbCl3 intercalation could be controlled through adjustment of the pressure of chlorine: increasing pressure tends to increase the extent of intercalation. On the other hand the stage structure of CuCl2-GIC could be controlled by adjusting the pressure of argon gas in the reaction tube: argon gas tend to inhibit the extent of CuCl2 intercalation.