Synthesis and thermal stability of graphite-oxide-like materials

Abstract

E x p e r i m e n t a l The method developed by Htmuners and Offeman [3] was used to synthesize graphite oxide. This method uses H2SO4, NaNO3 and KMnO4 as the reactants. In this research five different kinds of carbon materials were used to react with these chemicals. They were, in the order of decreasing x-ray diffraction (XRD) peak height, crystalline graphite powder (300 mesh, 99%), graphite powder (<I micron, 99.9995%), graphite sheet (0.254 mm thick, 99.9%), graphitzed carbon fiber (Amoco VCB-45, 10 micron diam., 99%), and activated carbon (1100 m2/gm, containing small amounts of AI and Si).