Abstract
(1) On the formation of graphite-sodium lamellar compound.
Artificial and natural graphites were treated with molten sodium and vaporous sodium under various conditions in order to find out the suitable conditions for the formation of graphite-sodium lamellar compound. Only the product of graphite subjected to treatment with molten sodium at 430°C for 1.5hr suggested that the formation of lamellar compound was possible, by their X-ray diffraction patterns and the dependence of electroconductivity on temperature.
It was confirmed by comparing the X-ray patterns of both the materials that the above-mentioned products differ from Asher's 8th stage lamellar compound, though the structure of the product was not analysed. This is a very interesting fact.
(2) On the activation of carbon.
It was expected that the treatment with molten sodium would be effective for the activation of carbon. The degree of activity of the carbon treated was shown by the increase of the oxygen adsorbability. The oxygen adsorbability was estimated by the D.P.G. adsorbability and the iodine adsorbability. Its effect was more remarkable on carbon black and wood charcoal than on graphite, active carbon and coke. For example the maximum increase of activity of wood charcoal reached about 100 times in D.P.G. adsorbability. Such ungraphitizable carbon as charcoal has in the circuference of its own network layer structure various unstable bonds based on the incomplete carbonization of the raw material. It seems that these incomplete parts were attacked by sodium and the active points were formed.
