Radionuclide study of GIC during acid intercalation

Electrochemical formation of graphite intercalation compounds in H2SO4-[1-14C] CH3COOH solutions was studied by radiotracer analysis coupled with autoradiography. It was shown that a stage 1 ternary graphite intercalation compound (TGIC) can be synthesized in 60 and 80% H2SO4. The only formation of graphite bisulfate (GB) was observed in 20 and 40% H2SO4. The presence of ethanoic acid in the graphite matrix was confirmed by thermogravimetry coupled with mass-spectrometry and Fourier IR-spectroscopy.