Intercalation compounds of graphite in atomic absorption spectrometry

The significance of the formation of intercalation compounds of graphite in the atomization process for atomic absorption spectrometric measurements was investigated. The inspection of the graphite surface and subsurface regions was performed by electron probe microanalysis with energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopic (EDX) detection. It was found that chloride forms thermally stable graphite intercalation compounds (GIC) with the graphite of tubes, which was either non-modified or modified with noble metals.