9510093 Dresselhaus The main efforts of this project are directed toward fundamental studies of the structure and properties of a newly reported carbon phase and two novel nanoscale carbon materials. Carbolite, one of the newly discovered carbon phases, appears to have exceptional promise as a host material for intercalation, and may provide unique insights into understanding the carbon phase diagram. Study of the structure and properties of carbolite as a host material for intercalation is proposed using electron microscopy, Raman spectroscopy and optical techniques. A main focus of the proposed research is the study of the structure and properties of potassium, sodium, and iodine intercalated carbolite; the possibility of new intercalates will also be pursued. Another novel material proposed for study is lithium intercalated into pyrolyzed poly(paraphenylene) (PPP) which has recently been shown to permit unusually high lithium uptakes. A third novel carbon system is iodine-doped activated carbon fibers. Activated carbon fibers have a very high density of nanometer size pores with a narrow distribution of pore sizes. By filling these pores with dopants, such as iodine which does not intercalate into graphite, basic interactions between dopants and carbon surfaces can be studied. Transport, susceptibility, Raman spectroscopy and modeling studies are proposed. %%% Recent developments indicate the possibility for major advances in three, mostly unexplored areas of carbon science. Carbolite, one of the newly discovered (1994) carbon phases, appears to have exceptional promise as a host material for intercalation, from both a scientific and practical point of view. Because of the significance of these new materials for electronic and photonic applications, it is important to study the scientific basis of intercalation, and to understand fundamental features of structure/property relationships. An important feature of the program is the training of students in a fundamentally and tech nologically significant area of materials research. ***
