The ultramicrostructure of commensurate graphite intercalation compounds

The ultramicrostructure of commensurate graphite intercalation compounds has been investigated using high-resolution transmission electron microscopy. By directly examining the intercalate lattice at atomic resolution, the authors have discovered intercalate domains of nearly macroscopic dimensions (>1000 AA) extending along the graphite basal plane of commensurate superlattice structures. Along the c axis, evidence for long-range staging order is also found (>200 AA). They have found no evidence of stacking faults characteristic of the Daumas-Herold staging domain model for intercalation compounds nor have they found evidence for fractional staging.