Abstract
Graphite is considered by the US Department of Energy to be a critical element. Due to its widespread use as anodes in batteries, the demand for high purity graphite for battery applications is expected to increase for the foreseeable future. Synthetic graphite, due to its high purity, is generally the preferred choice for battery applications. The current process for the synthesis of graphite is very energy intensive and requires heat treatment of carbon precursors to temperature up to 3300 K for successful graphitization. Herein, an electrochemical method for graphitization is reported, which requires significantly lower temperatures. The cathodic electrochemical polarization of amorphous carbons in molten salts at around 1100 K can transform amorphous carbons to highly graphitic carbon structures. This process is facilitated by molten salts and has the great potential to save significant energy compared to the current existing process.