Researchers have developed a catalytic method to convert petroleum coke, a refinery byproduct, into battery-grade graphite at temperatures below 1600 degrees Celsius. This process uses iron as a reusable catalyst to achieve graphitization in hours, whereas traditional methods require temperatures over 3000 degrees Celsius. The new technique reduces the energy required for production by more than 9-fold. By transforming a low-value fuel that typically releases carbon and sulfur emissions when burned into a critical component for lithium-ion batteries, the process supports both industrial decarbonization and the scaling of energy storage.
