Patent ID: 8105565

Claim:
A process for producing a graphite film comprising the steps of: carbonizing a polymer film at a temperature of 800 to 1,500° C. to obtain a carbonized polymer film, wherein the polymer film is carbonized in a graphite container and/or between graphite plates; applying to a surface of the carbonized polymer film a substance containing a metal selected from the group consisting of a solid metal, liquid metal and gaseous metal; and thermally treating the carbonized polymer film at a final temperature of 2,400° C. or higher to obtain the graphite film, wherein the polymer film comprises one or more polymers selected from the group consisting of polyimide, polyamide, polyoxadiazole, polybenzoxazole, polybenzobisoxazole, polythiazole, polybenzothiazole, polybenzobisthiazole, poly(p-phenylene vinylene), polybenzimidazole and polybenzobisimidazole, and the metal is one or more selected from the group consisting of titanium, vanadium, chromium, manganese, iron, cobalt, nickel, copper, zinc, zirconium, niobium, molybdenum, technetium, ruthenium, rhodium, palladium, silver, cadmium, hafnium, tantalum, tungsten, rhenium, osmium, iridium, platinum, gold and mercury.