Applications of ultra-high purity graphite
Chinese scientists have successfully developed ultra-high pure graphite, reflecting that the China’s graphite products now reach the world’s leading standards, Xinhua News Agency reported.
Ultra-high pure graphite, which contains more than 99.99 percent carbon, features excellent self-lubrication, conductivity, corrosion and high-temperature resistance, and chemical stability, Liu Enqiao, a senior analyst at Beijing-based Anbound Think Tank, told the Global Times.
But now, it has successfully producing ultra-high pure graphite with 99.99995 percent purity; giving rise as such materials are extensively used in advanced industrial sectors such as aerospace, superconductors, integrated circuits and semiconductors.
Interesting Engineering ~ November 28, 2024
China Electronics Technology Group Corporation (CETC), a state-owned enterprise, has developed a process that enables the mass production of graphite with a carbon content exceeding 99.99995%.
Graphite is a crystalline form of carbon with a wide range of applications.
For context, electric vehicles require high-purity graphite in their battery anodes. The purity of the graphite directly impacts the battery’s performance, affecting its charging speed, capacity, and lifespan.
In the semiconductor industry, high-purity graphite is used to manufacture crucibles. These containers hold molten silicon during the chip-making process. Notably, the purity of the graphite is essential to prevent silicon contamination.
Aviation is another industry in which high-purity graphite is a highly sought-after material. Because it can withstand extreme temperatures and harsh conditions, it plays a crucial role in constructing several aerospace components.
Interestingly, this technological breakthrough has geopolitical implications as well. China has placed high-purity graphite on its export control list.
It moderates in nuclear reactors, slowing down neutrons to maintain a controlled nuclear chain reaction.
“China holds the largest and highest-quality reserves of natural flake graphite globally. Much like rare earths, graphite is precious and non-renewable; it cannot be sold at low prices only after being roughly processed,” Sun Qing, honorary chairman of the China Carbon Industry Association, told state-owned Global Times in an interview published in October last year, reported SCMP.
It was widely considered a countermeasure to trade restrictions imposed on China by the United States and the European Union.
If CETC’s claims regarding its high-purity graphite are true, controlling its supply could give China an advantage in key technological sectors.
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