Characteristics of Flake Graphite

Flake graphite is a type of graphite material characterized by its flake-like crystalline structure. This naturally occurring form of graphite has excellent properties and can be processed into various grades and specifications. Let’s explore the key characteristics and applications of flake graphite.

Key Characteristics of Flake Graphite

1. Versatile Raw Material:
   • Flake graphite can be processed into ultrafine graphite powder, expanded graphite, nano graphite powder, and high-purity graphite powder.
2. Excellent Lubrication and Conductivity:
   • It has outstanding lubrication, high-temperature resistance, and electrical conductivity. When processed into solid graphite lubricants, it is widely used for mechanical lubrication.
3. Quality and Purity:
   • The quality of flake graphite depends on its carbon content. By purifying flake graphite, it can be classified into high-carbon, medium-carbon, and low-carbon types, with higher carbon content correlating to better industrial applications.

Industrial Applications of Flake Graphite

1. Refractory Materials:
   • Flake graphite is a key carbon material in refractory applications, affecting the corrosion resistance and high-temperature strength of carbon refractory materials like magnesia-carbon bricks.
   • It is used extensively in the metallurgical industry for refractory structures and coatings, such as magnesia-carbon bricks and crucibles. It also serves as desulfurization promoters in the smelting industry, pencil leads in the light industry, carbon brushes in the electrical industry, electrodes in the battery industry, and catalysts in the fertilizer industry.
   • Through deep processing, flake graphite can produce graphite emulsion for lubricants, release agents, drawing agents, and conductive coatings. It can also produce expanded graphite for flexible graphite products like seals and composite materials.
2. Mechanical and Electrical Components:
   • Flake graphite can be mixed with various binders to produce graphite products like pipes, fittings, valves, plates, and pumps through kneading, molding, or high-temperature treatment.
   • It is also used as a wear-resistant material for making bearings, piston rings, and mechanical seals.
3. Chemical Stability and Conductivity:
   • Flake graphite products are dense and smooth, requiring minimal processing beyond the connection ends.
   • They have low porosity, uniform structure, and good permeability resistance.
   • The manufacturing process is simplified by using graphite scraps from production, reducing costs.
4. Thermal Properties:
   • Flake graphite has a lower thermal conductivity compared to impregnated graphite but a higher linear expansion coefficient.
   • Its conductivity is 100 times higher than typical non-metallic minerals, making it a widely used material for electrical and antistatic applications.

Main Applications of Flake Graphite

1. Plastics and Rubber:
   • It can be used in plastic and rubber to make various conductive products, such as antistatic additives and electromagnetic shielding for computers.
   • It also has applications in micro TV screens, mobile phones, solar cells, and LEDs.
2. Resins and Coatings:
   • When combined with conductive polymers, it can create composite materials with excellent conductivity.
   • Conductive graphite coatings are known for their excellent conductivity, affordability, and ease of application, making them ideal for household antistatic measures and hospital electromagnetic wave shielding.
3. Printing Inks:
   • Adding conductive graphite powder to inks can impart conductive and antistatic properties to printed surfaces.
4. Conductive Fibers and Fabrics:
   • This product can shield electromagnetic waves when used in conductive fibers and fabrics, commonly found in anti-radiation clothing.

Flake graphite, with its superior properties and versatility, is an essential material in numerous industrial applications, from mechanical components to electrical products and beyond.