Chemisorption of hydrogen into a graphite–potassium intercalation compound C8K studied by means of positron annihilation

The positron-annihilation spectrum for C8K obtained from the Doppler broadening of the 511 keV annihilation radiation is composed of two Gaussian bands: one due to annihilation with electrons in the interlayer region, the other mainly due to annihilation with electrons in the graphitic layers. Upon introduction of hydrogen to C8K, both bands sharpened, which indicates a conversion of hydrogen atoms to hybride ions through charge transfer from the graphitic layers and the formation of positron–hydride ion complexes in the interlayer region. (AIP)