Abstract
The aim of this study on grinding is not only to investigate particle size change during the grinding, but also to improve the functional properties of the ground products. Because highly crystalline natural graphite has many types of functional properties, such as a high electrical conductivity, absorption of guest molecules, and excellent lubricant properties due to π-electrons between the lamellar crystal structures, the author has chosen to study the grinding of natural graphite particles. The author aims to investigate the effect of various grinding methods on the functional properties of the products.
The author begins this study by investigating experimentally the effects of a wide variety of gaseous and alcoholic vapors present during milling on the flakiness of ground natural graphite particles and the electrical conductivity of films composed of these products. The author then proceeds to evaluate these particles in negative electrode materials for lithium ion batteries, and in hydrogen storage materials. A new grinding method for both dry and wet processes, which uses graphite intercalation compounds and their exfoliated products to obtain flaky graphite particles as the raw materials mentioned above, has been also proposed.
