Synthesis, Structure and Electrochemical Reactivity of CrO3-H2SO4- Graphite Bi-Intercalation Compounds Prepared at Room Temperature

The paper deals with the synthesis, structure and electrochemical properties of CrO3-H2SO4-graphite bi-intercalation compound (CrO3-H2SO4-GBC) prepared at room temperature. In contrast to the two step process in which CrO3 is first intercalated chemically followed by electrochemical bi-intercalation of H2SO4, the method described in the paper allows the simultaneous intercalation of CrO3 and H2SO4 into graphite to give CrO3-H2SO4-GBC. The electrochemical method appeared to be suitable both to distinguish the original CrO3-H2SO4-GBCs of different structures and to enrich them with H2SO4 to provide stage-1 compound.