Structural Studies of Antimony Pentahalide Graphite Intercalation Compounds Using 001 Reflections

X-ray diffraction studies at room temperature are reported of stages 1, 2 and 3 SbCl_mF_5-m graphite intercalation compounds (m = 0, 2, 4, 5). The analysis of the 001 reflection inten-sities shows the periodic stacking of carbon, chlorine and antimony layers in all compounds. The results are in good agreement with the structural model recently found in other metal halide graphites. But we have found that the antimony atoms are not located on the mirror plane (z = O) in the centre of the intercalate layer. In case of dilute SbCl₅ graphites, the identity period along c axis I_c increases with SbCl₅ concentration in the stage 2 com-pound. Interlayer distances were determined in dependence on SbCl₅ concentration. A molecular layer form consisting of SbX₅ molecules which are linked by halogen bridges is suggested to fill the galleries in the graphite lattice.