Preparation of intercalation compounds of carbon fibers through electrolysis using phosphoric acid electrolyte and their exfoliation Original Research Article

Preparation of intercalation compounds using H3PO4 electrolyte solution in mesophase-pitch-based carbon fibers successfully carried out by electrolysis in less than 10 mol/dm3 of its electrolyte solution. Structural changes with preparation of intercalation compounds of carbon fibers were confirmed by a peak appeared around 2θ=8° observed after electrolysis, which corresponds to an interlayer spacing of about 0.9 nm through XRD pattern (anticathode: Cu Kα). This new peak was reasonably supposed to be due to the intercalation into interspacing of carbon layers. Suitable synthesis condition of the intercalation compounds was determined to be the concentration of electrolyte of 5 mol/dm3 at the electrolysis. It was also confirmed by morphology changes through SEM, that is carbon fibers, which treated low electrolyte concentration synthesized the intercalation compounds easily, and then it revealed markedly morphology changes such as fibrils. It could become exfoliation as well as them treated by other acid treatment through rapid heat-treatment. The formation of graphite oxide was suggested when the kind of intercalate was analyzed with elementary and TPD analysis.