Graphite is a black mineral that has several uses.
Graphite is a black, shiny mineral that is made up of crystallized carbon. The term also has other uses and acceptances, as described by the Royal Spanish Academy (RAE) .
In its structure, graphite has carbon atoms that develop a trio of covalent bonds in a single plane, at an angle of one hundred and twenty degrees. Therefore, it has a hexagon -shaped structure.
Along with fullerenes and diamonds, graphite is one of the forms that have allotropy in which carbon can appear. It is found in nature reserves and deposits, although it can also be produced artificially. China , Brazil and India are the world's largest producers of graphite.
Uses of graphite
Graphite is used in the manufacture of various elements. Being a refractory material, it is used in the production of crucibles and bricks . It is also used as a solid lubricant and is an electrical conductor.
When combined with a paste, graphite allows the production of pencils and vinyl-like records . Graphite is even used in nuclear reactors and in the manufacture of washers , pistons and other objects used in the field of engineering .
In the case of pencils, it is a mixture of natural graphite that is pulverized and clay . This mixture is baked so that it acquires the necessary hardness.
Pencils are usually made with graphite.
Natural or synthetic
Specifically, in addition to everything highlighted, we can state that we find two clearly different types of graphite. Thus, first of all, there is the so-called natural graphite , which is the one that began to be exploited in the mid-16th century when the first mine of this material was discovered, which was unknown until that very moment.
This element, which was originally also known as plumbagin due to its lead-like color, is fundamentally characterized by the fact that it is made up of crystalline aggregates. However, to this hallmark we should also add the one that presents various impurities and the one that has imperfections regarding its shape.
Secondly, we find synthetic graphite , which is identified as graphitic carbon. At the beginning of the 20th century was when, for the first time, this type of material was prepared, which certainly marked a before and after in the world of graphite applications and it opened the range of possibilities.
Acheson Graphite
It should also be emphasized that it is common for the term Acheson graphite to be mentioned in this field. A name under which pure synthetic graphite is found, which is made by subjecting silicon carbide to high temperatures.
Edward Goodrich Acheson , who began working along these lines in 1893 , was the one who discovered this process and its subsequent result.
Other meanings of the term
The word graphite, in other senses, refers to text or illustration created by hand in ancient times .
The term, on the other hand, names those signs or posters that are inscribed circumstantially on a wall.