The reaction between graphite fluoride and ferric chloride was observed in the temperature range of 300 to 400ยฐC. The graphite fluorides used for this reaction have an sp3 electronic structure and are electrical insulators.
They can be made by fluorinating either carbon fibers or powder having various degrees of graphitization.
Reaction is fast and spontaneous and can occur in the presence of air. The ferric chloride does not have to be predried. The products have an sp* electronic structure and are electrical conductors. They contain first-stage FeCl, intercalated graphite. Some of the products contain FeC1,.2H,O, others contain FeF,, in concentrations that depend on the intercalation condition.
The graphite intercalated compounds (GIC) deintercalated slowly in air at room temperature, but deintercalated quickly and completely at 370ยฐC. Deintercalation is accompanied by the disappearance of iron halides and the formation of rust (hematite) distributed unevenly on the fiber surface. When heated to 400ยฐC in pure N2 (99.99 vol%), this new GIC deintercalates without losing its molecular structure. However, when the compounds are exposed to 800ยฐC Nz in a quartz tube, they lost most of their halogen atoms and formed iron oxides (other than hematite), distributed evenly in or on the fiber.