New research furthers understanding of the electronic structure of graphite

Graphite is an incredibly important, versatile mineral, with uses spanning industries. Graphite is an essential component of many batteries, including lithium-ion batteries, and demand is only increasing as new technology is developed. Surprisingly, no spectroscopic studies have so far accurately measured the electronic states of the surface and the edge of graphite from a microscopic point of view. Indeed, the improvement in battery performance depends largely on the control of the characteristics of the graphite at the tip.