Characteristics of Graphite Fluoride Cathode Prepared from Residual Carbon of Graphite Oxide

Abstract

The composition, structure and discharge characteristics of graphite fluoride prepared from residual carbon have been investigated using natural graphites and petroleum cokes as raw carbon materials. The residual carbons show much lower crystallinity than raw carbons, still containing oxygen by 12-25 wt% after treatment at 400°C for 2 h under vacuum. Among them, the residual carbon obtained from flaky natural graphite has relatively well-ordered structure with a smaller amount of oxygen, compared with the others prepared from powdery natural graphite and petroleum cokes. The reaction of residual carbon with fluorine gas gives (CF)_n graphite fluoride with high reaction rate. The graphite fluoride thus prepared shows excellent cathode characteristics compared with those of usual (CF)_n. Flaky natural graphite is the most suitable raw material for preparing graphite fluoride with this process.