Effect of preparation conditions on the characteristics of exfoliated graphite

Exfoliated graphite (EG) was prepared from graphite intercalation compounds (GICs) synthesized electrochemically with different electricity consumption from 10.83 to 40.00 A h/kg. Effects of electricity consumption on the synthesis of GICs and of exfoliation temperature on different parameters of EG, i.e. exfoliation volume, volatile content, specific surface area and pore volume measured by mercury porosimetry, length and width of worm-like particles, and distance between neighboring balloons based on the zigzag model for worm-like particles of EG, were studied. These parameters were found to depend strongly on the electricity consumption and also on exfoliation temperature. Exfoliation volume, volatile content, specific surface area and pore volume on EG prepared at 1000 °C increased with increasing electricity consumption, but the distance between neighboring balloons was found to decrease. These results reveal marked development of pores in EG samples. Raising exfoliation temperature increased exfoliation volume, specific surface area and pore volume up to 800 °C. Above this temperature these parameters tended to be stable.