The behaviour of the intercalant AlCl4 anion during the formation of graphite intercalation compound: a XAFS study

This work aims to study the insertion of AlCl4 anion in the crystalline structure of oriented pyrolytic graphite at the point of view of the anion itself. The electronic and atomic structure of the anion at di erent intercalation stages were studied. In particular double-edge (bi-color) X-ray absorption spectroscopy at the Al and Cl K-edges was carried out highlighting a contraction of the anion bonding at the highest intercalation degree obtained electrochemically (stage 3), while the electronic population changes for both the edges upon cycle.