What is Graphite?
Graphite’s extreme softness, greasy feel, low specific gravity, and the ease with which it leaves dark grey to black marks on paper usually distinguish it from similar-looking metallic minerals. Its name comes from the Greek word ‘graphein’ (‘to write’), a reflection of centuries of use in writing and drawing. Graphite is produced by metamorphosing organic material initially deposited as sediment or mixed with sediment. As organic material is metamorphosed, hydrogen and oxygen are driven off as water, leaving the carbon behind to form graphite. Well-formed graphite crystals are rare, and most graphite occurs in its massive form. It is a metallic mineral, black to dark grey, with a distinctive greasy feeling. As with many mineral properties, this fatty nature reflects its internal crystal structure. On an atomic level, graphite has a sheet-like design where carbon atoms lie in sheets that are only weakly bonded to the overlying and underlying carbon sheets. Strong chemical bonds, called covalent bonds, exist between the carbon atoms within each sheet, but the sheets are only held together by weaker surface attractions, called Van der Waals forces.
The Geologic Importance of Graphite
Graphite often occurs in metamorphic rocks formed from regional metamorphism or contact metamorphism of organic-rich sedimentary rocks, such as organic-rich marble, quartzite, schist, gneiss, and metamorphosed coal. The sediment’s original organic component provides the source for the carbon from which graphite forms. As coal is almost wholly composed of organic carbon, its metamorphism can produce large amounts of graphite-bearing rock. To a lesser extent, graphite is also found in some igneous rocks, igneous veins and pegmatites associated with metamorphosed graphite-bearing sedimentary rocks. As with the metamorphic occurrences, the graphite component of these igneous bodies is assumed to have originated from the associated organic-rich sediments. Much more rarely, graphite also is found as small nodules in some iron meteorites.
The Economic Importance of Graphite
Graphite’s remarkably diverse properties allow it to be used in many ways. By volume, most of the graphite mined in the United States is used to line the interior of furnaces or to make crucibles for use in high-temperature foundries since graphite can withstand extremely high temperatures without melting. It is high melting temperature and insoluble nature also mean that large amounts of graphite are used as lubricants and in manufacturing brake linings, alkaline batteries and some paints. Because of its unusual crystal structure, graphite exhibits many properties of metallic materials, such as its ability to conduct electricity. Consequently, graphite is also used to produce electrodes and generator brushes.
Price of Graphite
Graphite particle size and purity will affect the product's Price, and the purchase volume can also affect the cost of Graphite. A large amount of large amount will be lower. The Price of Graphite is on our company's official website.
Graphite supplier
Mis-Asia is a reliable and high-quality global chemical material supplier and manufacturer. It has over 12 years of experience providing ultra-high quality chemicals and nanotechnology materials, including Graphite, nitride powder, graphite powder, sulfide powder, and 3D printing powder. If you are looking for high-quality and cost-effective Graphite, you are welcome to contact us or inquire any time.
