Question

Which of the following statements is true for the thermal and electrical conductivity of graphite structure?

(a) It has high thermal but low electric conductivity

(b) It has high thermal and high electric conductivity

(c) It has low thermal and high electric conductivity

(d) It has low thermal and low electric conductivity

The question was asked in semester exam.

This question is from Modification of Existing Structures by Ion Exchange and Intercalation Reactions in chapter Preparative Methods of Solid State Chemistry

Answer 1

Right option is (b) It has high thermal and high electric conductivity

To explain I would say: The carbon atoms of graphite structure are sp^2 hybridized, with an additional p orbital, containing a single electron, perpendicular to the plane of the rings. These p orbitals overlap with the similar p orbitals on adjacent carbon atoms resulting in an infinite, two dimensional, delocalized ∏ electrons due to which according to the band theory terminology, it forms conduction band of graphite which results as a high thermal and electrical conductivity.