The unique physical properties of Natural Graphite
makes it valuable for a variety of modern uses, with new materials being developed
Refractory materials are used for
lining furnaces, kilns, incinerators, and reactors:
This has always been the primary use of natural graphite because of its resistance
to heat and chemical inertness. |
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Energy storage and generation:
The rapidly growing use for natural graphite is for lithium-ion battery anodes and
fuel cell electrodes because of its electrical conductivity and chemical inertness. |
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Lubricants:
Graphite makes a good non-oil-based lubricant because the layers will slip past each other
and it will not oxidize or break down with heat. |
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Brake
Lining:
Even though graphite is a good lubricant, when mixed with a binder it makes a good brake
lining because it readily conducts heat and will not oxidize. |
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Expanded Graphite:
Natural graphite can be chemically altered to cause it to greatly expand upon heating and
has found new use as a fire retardant. |
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Gaskets and Seals:
Expanded graphite can be flattened into sheets to form high-temperature gaskets and seals
which are used in the chemical industry. |
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Composites:
When mixed with other materials such as plastics or cement, graphite makes these common
materials have uncommon properties, such as electrically conductive plastic or stronger
and flexible structures. |
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Graphene:
Natural graphite may be exfoliated into individual sheets of the graphite molecule to
form a truly 2-D structure, one with virtually no thickness, called ‘graphene’.
Properties of graphene include extreme strength, and very high electrical and thermal
conductivity. Uses of this new ‘wonder material’ are constantly being
developed including conductive ink, water purification and chemical sensors. |
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