Study of oxidation process occurring in natural graphite deposits

Abstract

This paper aimed to investigate the chemical bond characteristics and oxidation properties of graphite deposits found in Nanjiang County, Sichuan Province, China. The mineral content, crystal structures and chemical compositions of bulk samples from typical surface weathering and alteration zones were analyzed using XRD, FT-Raman, XPS, and optical microscope studies, and other spectral characterization methods. The results showed that natural graphite can be oxidized and bond with oxygen-containing functional groups, such as carbonyl (–COOH), hydroxyl (C–OH) and epoxy (C–O–C), during the process of geologic action or non-artificial oxidation. The graphitic products were found to have similar structural and spectral characteristics to artificial graphite oxide. The data suggested that the natural graphitic products had different crystal characteristics with varying degrees of weathering alteration. Overall, these findings confirmed the existence of natural graphite oxide, which may be of important future scientific and practical significance.