Patent ID: 8163264

Claim:
A method for producing a surface functionalized expanded graphite from a graphite intercalation compound, which comprises the steps of: selecting a starting material from the group consisting of natural graphite, compressed expanded graphite, partially oxidized graphite, and graphite fibers; reacting the starting material with one of substances capable of intercalation and mixtures of substances capable of intercalation resulting in a compound designated as an intercalation compound; providing a plasma flame; adding process gases to the plasma flame, the process gases being selected from the group consisting of gases that generates nitrogen-containing functional groups on surfaces of expanded graphite, gases that generates halogen-containing functional groups on surfaces of expanded graphite, gases that generate silicon-containing functional groups on surfaces of expanded graphite, gases that generate phosphorus-containing functional groups on surfaces of expanded graphite and gases that generate sulfur-containing functional groups on surfaces of expanded graphite; blowing the intercalation compound into the plasma flame; and performing simultaneous chemical and morphological modification of said intercalation compound by a subsequent expansion of said intercalation compound in the plasma to obtain surface functionalized expanded graphite having a BET surface area of >30 m 2 /g.