Abstract:
The deductions regarding the differences and similarities between natural and synthetic graphite would not have been
possible without the combination of oxidation and high surface resolution SEM. The true behaviours of the as-received
materials are obscured due to contaminants and structural damage caused by processing. Only by purifying and
gradually exposing the underlying crystal structure can the microstructural features be understood in context of the
material formation mechanism. The surface features relevant to these insights cannot be resolved at high acceleration
voltages due to excessive surface penetration. Thus without recent advancements in scanning electron microscopy such
progress would not have been possible. On the other hand, the resolution which has been achieved has illuminated
certain aspects of the behaviour which cannot readily be explained given our current understanding of the ideal graphite
crystal. This leaves the door open for future investigations to fully elucidate the underlying crystalline microstructure
and its structural characteristics developed through oxidation.
