Carbon and Graphite
In today's fast-paced world of manufacturing, the need for high-quality materials that can withstand extreme conditions, such as carbon and graphite, is becoming increasingly important. Graphite is an allotrope of carbon and thus shares characteristics with it. Both carbon and graphite have become essential in many industries, including aerospace, automotive, and electronics. While both materials are made up of carbon, they have different properties that make them suitable for different applications. The graphene structure of graphite, in particular, gives this material qualities that are sought out by many industries.
How Carbon Becomes Graphite
Carbon is typically depicted as an irregular, intertwined layout. The result of this structure is a very hard, non-machinable material. However, when carbon is heated to temperatures up to 3000⁰C for a prolonged amount of time, a specific process rearranges the atomic structure to achieve an ordered crystalline, or graphene, structure, resulting in graphite. Graphite is, like diamond, a carbon allotrope that has a different atomic arrangement compared to carbon.
Graphene Structure
The hexagonal crystalline graphene structure is what provides graphite with most of its desired characteristics. The organized structure allows for heat to travel unobstructed throughout the material, which makes it an excellent choice for applications where high temperatures are involved. Additionally, the layered structure provides graphite with great lubricity, which makes it ideal for use as a dry lubricant in many industries. Graphite is softer than carbon, again due to the layered atomic arrangement of the graphene structure. These layers are held together by the weak Van der Waals forces, allowing the layers to easily break. This function is great for lubricity. This layered graphene structure is also great for machinability. Carbon, which is not arranged in layers, is nearly impossible to machine.
Grades of Graphite
While graphite is softer than carbon, there are a multitude of graphite grades, with different methods of manufacturing that vary greatly in characteristics. ISO-Molded materials are produced with small particle sizes, and thus are denser with more uniform characteristics in all material directions. These materials are suitable for applications that require very good surface finish or very detailed machining. On the other hand, extruded materials are larger particle size, softer materials, making them less susceptible to thermal shock.
As a graphite machining company with decades in the business, Semco can help you choose the correct material for your specific application. We offer a wide range of graphite grades and can produce the parts you require. Whether you need graphite for EDM-type applications, high-temperature applications, or applications where thermal shock is a risk, we have a graphite solution for you.
Graphite machining has become an essential process in many industries due to the unique properties of graphite. Differentiating between carbon and graphite helps us understand and explain the properties of each material. The layered graphene structure provides graphite with great lubricity, excellent heat conductivity, and increased machinability compared to carbon. Regardless of your application requirements, our we at Semco can help you choose the right graphite material and produce the parts you require.