The Technology

The U.S. Department of Energy’s National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL) has developed a method to efficiently convert coal, biomass, petroleum coke (PET coke), and other forms of carbon into a highly crystalline, low-ash-content graphite using a low-temperature catalytic process. The technology significantly reduces energy consumption and processing time compared to traditional methods, offering a cost-effective method for using domestically sourced feedstocks for making graphite for lithium-ion batteries, electric arc furnace electrodes, nuclear reactors and advanced carbon composites. Specifically, graphite is synthesized from coal, biomass, PET coke or other carbon feedstocks using a low-temperature (1,200-1,500 °C) process with a Fe₂O₃- based catalyst. The process separates the catalyst and graphite product and regenerates the catalyst for reuse. This technology has several novel facets: 1) the processing temperature and time are reduced in comparison to traditional graphite manufacturing, 2) a powder graphite product is produced versus a graphite rod or formed structure, and 3) the method can be practiced as a continuous process versus a batch process. This invention is available for nonexclusive licensing and/or further collaborative research from NETL.