Property control of carbon materials by fluorination

Fluorination is one of the most effective chemical methods to modify and control physicochemical properties of carbon materials. The method is rather straightforward, but the interpretation of the results are not necessarily facile. The complication lies in the diversity of carbon materials and the wide-range C-F bond nature. This conversely gives an opportunity to control properties of carbon materials in a wide range, either gradually or drastically. In this review, recent topics in the field of fluorinated carbon materials are covered with an emphasis on the recent research developments in our laboratories and in Japan. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.