Effect of the Structure and Morphology of Natural, Synthetic and Post-processed Graphites on Their Dispersibility and Electronic Properties.

Twenty-two different graphite grades of the familiesnatural, synthetic,intercalated,expanded,amorphous,andturbostratic graphite, as well asplateletsandactivated carbon,were analyzed on their dispersibility inN-methylpyrrolidone, cyclohexylpyrrolidone and water-sodium cholate solution. They were characterized for their properties (grain size, density, purity, surface area, pH in water) and morphology. Thermogravimetric analysis, Raman spectroscopy studies, and electrical conductivity measurements were also used. XRPD followed by a Rietveld refinement provided information on the amounts of the rhombohedral (3R) and hexagonal (2H) phases for the crystalline part of the material and the interlayer distances. The properties of graphites favoring better dispersibility are: small grain size and bulk density, neutral pH in water. The electrical conductivity in inversely proportional to the RamanD-band intensity and is highest for the graphites with shortest interlayer spacing. TheD-,G- and2D-bands in the Raman spectra of graphites are in an exponential relation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]