In the world of metallurgy and high-temperature industrial processing, graphite electrodes play a critical yet often underappreciated role.
Graphite electrodes are critical components in electric arc furnaces (EAF) and ladle furnaces (LF), playing a vital role in the steelmaking and non-ferrous smelting industries.
Synthetic graphite is made from powdered high-quality calcined petroleum coke as the main raw material, to which asphalt is added as a binder, and a small amount of other auxiliary materials are added. After the various raw materials are combined, they are pressed into shape, and then heated at 2500 to 3000°C at non-toxic temperatures. It is treated in an oxidizing atmosphere to graphitize it; after graphitization, it can be impregnated and roasted for multiple cycles to continuously enhance the strength of artificial graphite and have better conductivity, thus adapting to different industrial needs.
According to the difference in raw material ratio and process, artificial graphite is subdivided into: graphite electrode blocks, medium-coarse graphite blocks and fine-grained high-purity graphite blocks. Artificial graphite blocks can be subsequently processed into various graphite products such as precision molds, crucibles, and high-temperature furnace parts.