China’s state-owned enterprise, China Electronics Technology Group Corporation (CETC), has developed a process to mass produce graphite with a carbon content exceeding 99.99995% purity. This is close to the theoretical limit, with impurities reduced to negligible levels.
CETC’s new production process allows for creating this ultra-high purity graphite at a lower cost than traditional methods, reducing production costs to 40% of conventional techniques. This cost advantage could significantly impact the global graphite market.
High-purity graphite has important applications in industries like electric vehicles, semiconductors, aerospace, and nuclear reactors, where the purity of the graphite is critical.
China has placed high-purity graphite on its export control list, likely as a countermeasure to trade restrictions imposed by the U.S. and EU. If CETC’s claims are true, China’s ability to produce and control the supply of this strategic material could give it an advantage in key technological sectors.
The article highlights the geopolitical implications of this technological breakthrough, as it could shift the balance of power in the nuclear technology race between China and the U.S.
Source: Interesting Engineering
