Highly fluorinated graphite prepared from graphite fluoride formed using BF3 catalyst

Fluorinated graphites (CF0.47) were obtained by reaction at room temperature of fluorine gas with graphite in the presence of boron trifluoride and hydrogen fluoride as catalysts. Their thermal treatments under fluorine at temperatures up to 600 degrees C lead to a progressive increase of the fluorine level resulting in an highly fluorinated graphite (CF1.02). Whatever the fluorination level, a stage one fluorine-graphite intercalation compound is obtained. The sp(2) carbon hybridization is maintained for treatment temperature below 300 degrees C and two types of structure coexist for TT in the range 350-550 degrees C. Finally, above 550 degrees C, carbon hybridization is SP3. The resulting materials were studied by B-11, H-1, and F-19 NMR and EPR at different experimental temperatures giving informations about the intercalated fluoride species, the temperature of their removal from the host fluorocarbon matrix, as well as their mobility. (c) 2005 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.