Summary：The uses of graphite products far exceed what we have imagined. So what are the uses of graphite products that we are currently familiar with?

The 21st century is the era of black gold, and the applications of graphite products far exceed our expectations. So what are the known uses of graphite products currently?
　　1. Used as conductive materials
　　When smelting various alloy steels, ferrous alloys, or producing calcium carbide and yellow phosphorus using electric arc furnaces or submerged arc furnaces, a strong current passes through carbon electrodes (or continuously self-baking electrodes—i.e., electrode paste) or graphitized electrodes into the melting zone of the electric furnace to generate an arc, converting electrical energy into thermal energy, raising the temperature to about 2000 degrees Celsius, thus meeting the requirements for smelting or reactions. Metallic magnesium, aluminum, and sodium are generally produced by molten salt electrolysis, where the anode conductive materials of the electrolytic cell are made of graphitized electrodes or continuously self-baking electrodes (anode paste, sometimes using prebaked anodes). The temperature of molten salt electrolysis is generally below 1000 degrees Celsius. The anode conductive materials of the electrolytic cell for producing caustic soda (sodium hydroxide) and chlorine from salt solution are generally made of graphitized anodes. The conductive materials at the furnace head of resistance furnaces used for producing silicon carbide (carborundum) also use graphitized electrodes. In addition to the above uses, carbon and graphite products are widely used as conductive materials in the electric motor manufacturing industry as slip rings and brushes, and are also used as carbon rods in dry batteries, arc carbon rods for searchlights or arc light generation, and anodes in mercury rectifiers, etc.

Graphite electrodes
　　2. Used as refractory materials
　　Due to the high-temperature resistance and good high-temperature strength and corrosion resistance of carbon and graphite products, many metallurgical furnace linings can be constructed using carbon blocks, such as the bottom, furnace body, and belly of blast furnaces, the linings of ferrous alloy furnaces and calcium carbide furnaces, and the bottoms and sides of aluminum electrolytic cells. Many crucibles used for smelting precious and rare metals, as well as melting quartz glass, are also made from graphitized raw materials. Carbon and graphite products used as refractory materials should generally not be used in oxidizing atmospheres, as both carbon and graphite can be quickly eroded in high-temperature oxidizing environments.

Vacuum furnace components

　　3. Used as corrosion-resistant structural materials
　　Graphitized electrodes that have been impregnated with organic or inorganic resins exhibit good corrosion resistance, good thermal conductivity, and low permeability. This impregnated graphite is also known as impermeable graphite. It is widely used in the manufacture of various heat exchangers, reaction tanks, condensers, combustion towers, absorption towers, coolers, heaters, filters, pumps, and other equipment, and is extensively applied in industries such as petroleum refining, petrochemicals, hydrometallurgy, acid-base production, synthetic fibers, and papermaking, saving a significant amount of metal materials like stainless steel. The production of impermeable graphite has become an important branch of the carbon industry.

　　4. Used as wear-resistant and lubricating materials
　　In addition to having high chemical stability, carbon and graphite materials also possess good lubricating properties. Under conditions of high speed, high temperature, and high pressure, it is often impossible to improve the wear resistance of sliding components with lubricating oil. Graphite wear-resistant materials can operate in corrosive media at temperatures ranging from -200 to 2000 degrees Celsius and at very high sliding speeds (up to 100 meters/second) without the need for lubricating oil. Therefore, many compressors and pumps that transport corrosive media widely use piston rings, seals, and bearings made of graphite materials. They do not require the addition of lubricants during operation. This wear-resistant material is made by impregnating ordinary carbon or graphite materials with organic resins or liquid metal materials. Graphite emulsions are also good lubricants for many metal processing operations (such as wire drawing and tube drawing).

Graphite sealing rings
　　5. Used as high-temperature metallurgy and ultra-pure materials
　　Structural materials used in production, such as crystal growth crucibles for single crystal silicon, zone refining containers, supports, fixtures, and induction heaters, are all processed from high-purity graphite materials. Graphite insulation boards and bases used in vacuum smelting, as well as components like tubes, rods, plates, and grids in high-temperature resistance furnaces, are also made from graphite materials.

Graphite thermal field
　　6. Used as molds and pressing molds
　　Carbon and graphite materials have a small coefficient of thermal expansion and good resistance to rapid cooling and heating, making them suitable for use as molds for glassware and for casting black metals, non-ferrous metals, or rare metals. Castings obtained from graphite molds have precise dimensions and smooth surfaces, allowing them to be used directly without further processing or only requiring slight processing, thus saving a significant amount of metal. In the production of hard alloys (such as tungsten carbide) and other powder metallurgy processes, graphite materials are typically used to manufacture pressing molds and sintering boats.

Graphite molds
　　7. Use in the nuclear energy industry and military industry. Graphite, due to its good neutron moderation properties, was first used in atomic reactors as a moderating material. Graphite reactors are currently one of the most common types of atomic reactors. The graphite materials used in atomic reactors must have extremely high purity. Some specially treated graphites (such as those with high-temperature resistant materials infiltrated into the graphite surface) and recrystallized graphite, pyrolytic graphite, exhibit good stability and high strength-to-weight ratios at extremely high temperatures. Therefore, they can be used to manufacture nozzles for solid fuel rockets, missile nose cones, and components for space travel equipment.