Electrochemical Synthesis of Co-intercalation Compounds in the Graphite-H2SO4-H3PO4System

Abstract

Anodic oxidation of highly oriented pyrolytic graphite in an electrolyte containing concentrated sulfuric and anhydrous phosphoric acids is studied for the first time. The synthesis was carried out under galvanostatic conditions at a current I = 0.5 mA and an elevated temperature (t = 80°C). Intercalation compounds of graphite (ICG) are shown to form at all concentration ratios of H2SO4 and H3PO4 acids. The intercalation compound of step I forms in solutions containing more than 80 wt % H2SO4, a mixture of compounds of intercalation steps I and II forms in 60% H2SO4, intercalation step II is realized in the sulfuric acid concentration range from 10 to 40%, and a mixture of compounds of intercalation steps III and II is formed in 5% H2SO4 solutions. The threshold concentration of H2SO4 intercalation is ∼2%. With the decrease in active intercalate (H2SO4) concentration, the charging curves are gradually smoothed, the intercalation step number increases, and the potentials of ICG formation also increase. As the sulfuric acid concentration in the electrolyte changes from 96 to 40 wt %, the filled-layer thickness d i in ICG monotonously increases from 0.803 to 0.820 nm, which apparently is associated with the greater size of phosphoric acid molecules. With further increase in H3PO4 concentration in solution, d i remains unchanged. According to the results of chemical analysis, both acids are simultaneously incorporated into the graphite interplanar spacing and their ratio in ICG is determined by the electrolyte composition.