Carbon nanomaterials can be applied to the manufacture of wood-based building materials in the solid state and paint/adhesives in the liquid state to reduce emissions of formaldehyde and volatile organic compounds (VOCs). Among carbon nanomaterials, graphite is a layered material consisting of one-atom-thick sheets of carbon. The carbon atoms are bonded covalently in a hexagonal arrangement within the layer and these layers are bonded to each other by weak van der Waals forces. The alpha-spacing between the carbon layers is 0.335 nm. Since the van der Waals forces are relatively weak, it is possible for a wide range of atoms, molecules and ions to intercalate between graphite layers to form the graphite intercalation compounds (GICs). Expandable graphite consisting of natural graphite flake intercalated with acid, can be expanded up to hundreds of times its initial volume at high temperature, resulting in separation of the graphene sheets at the nanoscopic level along the c axis of graphene layers. Because expanded graphite is a porous carbon material, it can be applied to building materials such as wood flooring and wood-based composite after surface treatment for multi-functional building materials. To support its application to building materials, we examined the adsorption performance of graphite using a thermal extractor (TE) and 20 L small chamber. In addition, we also conducted Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) analysis to confirm the variation in accordance with the modification process of graphite. (c) 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.