Preparation, structure and electrical conductivity of graphite intercalation compound with titanium fluoride

Abstract The graphite intercalation compound (GIC) of titanium fluoride has been prepared in a fluorine atmosphere. The GICs prepared from natural graphite and pitch-based carbon fiber were mostly stage-2 compounds with repeat distance 11.28–11.59 A and composition C11–15TiF4.5–6.2. The ESCA spectrum indicates that intercalated TiF62− anions are mainly in a bridged state. The slight decrease in the repeat distance with increasing fluorine pressure is ascribed to the nestling of TiF62− anions in benzene rings of carbon layers due to the increase in nonbridging TiF62− anion. X-ray powder diffraction data indicate the high regularity in the orientation of intercalated species between carbon layers. The highest electrical conductivity was 2.4 × 105 Scm−1, which is 13 times higher than that of pristine HOPG.