Researchers are now planning to create ultra-pure graphite products, including high-end negative electrode materials and carbon-based semiconductor graphite.
Graphite, a crystalline form of carbon, is used in high-tech materials, including batteries, lubricants, pencils, crucibles, and more. However, achieving a higher purification of graphite has not been easy. Multiple methods, including flotation, acid leaching, thermal purification, and others are claimed to offer sometimes 80–90% purification.
“The higher the purity of graphite is, the better the graphite’s lubricity, conductivity, corrosion resistance and chemical stability. Such materials are extensively used in advanced industrial sectors such as aerospace, superconductors, integrated circuits, and semiconductors,” Liu Enqiao, a senior analyst at Beijing-based Anbound Think Tank, told the
However, Liu maintains that the breakthrough is still at an experimental stage with its commercial viability still under evaluation.“The demand for high-purity graphite in cutting-edge industrial sectors has been growing, and the technological advancement could significantly liberate us in this field, reducing our dependencies,” said Liu.
China Minmetals Corporation, which possesses a major graphite reserve in Hegang City, Heilongjiang Province, operates a processing plant with an annual output of 200,000 tonnes, reportedPrabhat, an alumnus of the Indian Institute of Mass Communication, is a tech and defense journalist. While he enjoys writing on modern weapons and emerging tech, he has also reported on global politics and business.