Graphite intercalation compounds of lanthanide metals prepared in molten chlorides Original Research Article

Graphite intercalation compounds of several lanthanide metal donors (Nd, Sm, Dy, Er and Yb) have been prepared by interacting graphite and metals in molten chlorides. These lanthanide metals are suspended in molten chlorides at lower than 400 °C in the presence of their trichlorides via disproportionation equilibrium: 3Ln(II) = Ln(0) + 2Ln(III). In this condition, one can avoid the formation of carbides in the reaction product. The X-ray powder diffraction patterns for all the lanthanide GICs prepared suggest they belong to the hexagonal EuC6-structure type.