X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy study of intercalated compounds of fluorinated graphite C2FxBr0.01·yCH3CN

The energy level structure of fluorinated graphite intercalation compounds C₂F_xBr_0.01·yCH₃CN (x = 0.49–0.87, y = 0.084–0.136) has been studied by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy providing the information on the electronic structure of compounds in question. The analysis of variations of the binding energy of core levels C1s, F1s, and O1s opens the possibility to explore the nature of the chemical bond C-F in the fluorographite matrix with a varying degree of fluorination, as well as to model the structure of these compounds. The examination of decomposition results of spectra into components has revealed the occurrence of C-F fragments, carbon atoms not bonded directly to fluorine atoms, and “graphite-like” areas, whose contribution to the overall structure increases with the degree of matrix fluorination decreasing. The presence of oxygen was considered from the viewpoint of surface phenomena characteristic of low-temperature carbon materials.