Chapter 6 - Intercalation Compounds

Abstract

This chapter summarizes the intercalation compounds developed in the project—the “Carbon Alloys.” It discusses about—the lithium insertion into the carbon materials, the new intercalation compounds prepared from unique host carbon materials, and the host effects following the intercalation of halogen molecules and alkali metals. Several carbons are examined as possible anodes of the lithium-ion batteries. Evidence shows that the edge-inherited non-bonding p-electron states are important in characterizing the electronic structure of the nanographite. The intercalation of potassium into the nanographite diminishes the contribution of the edge-states due to the charge transfer from the potassium atom. The charge transfer fraction, per carbon atom fc, follows the order of potassium > bromine > iodine. Intercalation of cesium into the carbon materials with different heat-treatment temperatures (HTT) results in carbon alloys characterized by XRD, ESR, Raman spectroscopy, and the molecular sorption techniques. Increases in the carbon–carbon interlayer spacings due to the intercalation by cesium are obtained even for less-graphitized carbons of HTT < 1273 K.