Graphite oxidation and SEM as a tool for microstructural investigation

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.