The model for nanostructured metal formation on the surface of different types of graphite

The processes of formation of nanostructured metals phases on the surface of graphites with different structure and surface morphology (thermoexfoliated graphite, dispersion graphite) are considered. Substrates of graphite carriers of different structural types differ in characteristics of the surface condition. The thermoexfoliated graphite has the most developed, porous and defective surface. Further in this series there is dispersed graphite with a chemically activated by acid surface and the least developed and defective structure of the surface is determined for dispersion graphite. A generalized model of the processes occurring in the formation of nanostructured forms of metal on the surface of a graphite carrier is proposed, which is based on description of the common positions of topographic reactions of all stages of the formation of a metal component — crystallization of salt, salt thermolysis on a surface of a graphite carrier, reaction of oxide recovery to pure metal. For each stage of the process function is introduced that determines the dependence of the emergence of certain mass of the new phase on the unit surface of the substrate. The evolution of this function from time to time is described by the system of differential equations, taking into account that each subsequent stage proceeds independently of the previous one at a certain time, and is related to the previous mass only of the new phase obtained at this stage. The generalized model of the processes occurring in the formation of nanostructured forms of metal on the surface of a graphite carrier, constructed from unified positions, allows us to model and describe each stage of this process using different types of graphite materials, different salts and conditions of each stage.