Oxidation modification of fluorinated graphite and its reaction mechanism

The Hummers method was employed in this study to oxidize fluorinated graphite. In addition, the pre- and post-chemical compositions and microstructure were characterized and analysed to explore the modification mechanism. Oxidized fluorinated graphite (OFG) with lamellar structure and variable oxygen content was obtained by oxidation method. Primarily, the oxidative modification under KMnO4 is that MnO3+ as Lewis acid would catalyse the activation of the carbon-fluorine bond, which then breaks to release a fluorine ion. Secondly, the unsaturated carbon bond would be oxidized, increasing carbon-oxygen bond content and producing some OFG nano fragments. The carbon-fluorine bond is gradually catalysed to react according to its activity as the KMnO4 dosage increases, while the unsaturated carbon bond is oxidized, leaving some isolated carbon-fluorine bonds with weak activity.