The fluorination processes of flaky natural graphite were studied by means of various microscopies.The optical character of graphite fluoride (CF)
n was examined by using conoscope in order to interpret the results obtained for the fluorinated samples by observation under a polarizing microscope.Graphite fluoride belongs to optically uniaxial crystals and its optic character is negative.The principal index ω is 1.543-1.544.Observation between crossed nicols of the fluorinated flaky samples consisting of both a transparent (CF)
n layer and an unreacted graphite layer, revealed the ordering of stacking of (CF)
n sheets and that the farther the sheets were located from the reaction interface, the more regular the ordering of stacking became.The fluorination of flaky graphite particle proceeds from the periphery toward the interior of the flake.Preferential fluorination took place at twin bands, and impurities on graphite surface, and the cracks produced by stresses due to the formation of (CF)
n layer.The above parts of graphite particle were comparable in reactivity with the periphery.Many mechanical destructions such as exfoliation, crack and intumescence were observed in a (CF)
n layer, which might be brought about by a large accumulation of internal stresses at the reaction interface.These microscopic observations also indicated that such mechanical destructions allowed fluorine gas to pass through the (CF)
n layer to the reaction interface.
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