Materials with layered structures remain an extensively investigated
subject in current physics and chemistry. Most of the promising
technological applications however deal with intercalation compounds of
layered materials. Graphite intercalation compounds have now been known
for a long time. Intercalation in transition metal dichalcogenides, on
the other hand, has been investigated only recently. The amount of
information on intercalated layered materials has increased far beyond
the original concept for this volume in the series Physics and Chemistry
of Materials with Layered Structures. The large size of this volume also
indicates how important this field of research will be, not only in
basic science, but also in industrial and energy applications. In this
volume, two classes of materials are included, generally investigated by
different scientists. Graphite intercalates and intercalates of other
inorganic com- pounds actually constitute separate classes of materials.
However, the similarity between the intercalation techniques and some
intercalation processes does not justify this separation, and accounts
for the inclusion of both classes in this volume. The first part of the
volume deals with intercalation processes and intercalates of transition
metal dichalcogenides. Several chapters include connected topics
necessary to give a good introduction or comprehensive review of these
types of materials. Organic as well as inorganic intercalation compounds
are treated. The second part includes contributions concerning graphite
intercalates. It should be noted that graphite intercalation compounds
have already been mentioned in Volumes I and V.
