How Graphite Is Made

Synthetic graphite can be produced from coke and pitch. It tends to be of higher purity though not as crystalline as natural graphite. There are essentially two types of synthetic graphite. The first is electrographite, which is pure carbon produced from calcined petroleum coke and coal tar pitch in an electric furnace. The second type of synthetic graphite is produced by heating calcined petroleum pitch to 2800°C. On the whole synthetic graphite tends to be of a lower density, higher porosity and higher electrical resistance. Its increased porosity makes it unsuitable for refractory applications. Synthetic Graphite consists mainly of graphitic carbon that has been obtained by graphitisation, heat treatment of non-graphitic carbon, or by chemical vapour deposition from hydrocarbons at temperatures above 2100K.