1. 12 graphitization furnace production lines have entered the trial production stage: In April, Linzhang County Aohui Carbon Co., Ltd., in the graphitization furnace workshop of the third phase of the project that has been completed and entered the trial production stage, 12 technically transformed graphitization furnace production lines are running stably and the production site is orderly. “Using high-power, high-capacity, low-energy consumption Acheson graphitization furnace, the single furnace filling capacity can reach 160 tons, and the energy saving and consumption reduction effect is obvious. After the project is put into operation, it is expected to increase the annual output value by 150 million yuan.” Niu Xiaoming, head of the company’s graphitization workshop, said that in the production of lithium battery anode materials (artificial graphite), graphitization is the most critical, costly and energy-consuming process. For enterprises, whoever can take the lead in achieving energy conservation and consumption reduction in the high-energy consumption link of graphitization can take the initiative in market competition.

2. The important role of graphitization production in the production of anode materials: graphitization is the core key process of the preparation of artificial graphite and composite graphite anode, which is the process of completing the crystal structure reconstruction and the transformation from random layer amorphous carbon to regular layered graphite crystals through high-temperature heat treatment, which directly determines the electrochemical properties, product quality and application adaptability of anode materials, and has irreplaceable core value in anode production, the specific functions are as follows:

1. Reconstruct the crystal structure and lay the foundation for lithium storage The raw materials of primary coke and carbon precursors are disordered and chaotic carbon structures, with chaotic layer spacing, many crystal defects, and obstructed lithium ion embedding and escape. After high-temperature graphitization at 2800~3200°C, the carbon atoms are rearranged to form a regular and orderly hexagonal layered graphite lattice, with tight carbon layers stacked and stable lamellar structure. The regular graphite layered structure is the core carrier of reversible intercalation of lithium ions, which fundamentally guarantees the basic ability of anode lithium storage and lithium release.

2. Optimize the core performance of electrochemistry and improve the battery cycle and rate performance Graphitization can accurately adjust the carbon layer spacing, grain size and graphitization degree: reduce the internal defects and impurity active sites of the material, reduce the side reaction of the electrolyte, effectively reduce the first irreversible capacity, and improve the first coulomb efficiency of the battery; improve the integrity of the graphite crystal, enhance the structural stability, and are less prone to layered collapse during the cycle charging and discharging, greatly extending the cycle life of the battery; reasonable graphitization degree can balance the ion conduction rate, optimize the rate performance, and adapt to the fast charging and high-rate discharge needs of power lithium batteries.

3. Remove impurity elements to improve material purity and safety Impurities such as sulfur, oxygen, hydrogen, ash and other impurities remain in the anode raw materials, and during the process of high-temperature graphitization, impurity elements decompose and escape in the form of gases, and heavy metals and inorganic ash are greatly reduced. High-purity graphite materials have stable chemical properties, which can avoid problems such as electrolyte decomposition, electrode flatulence, and intensified self-discharge caused by impurities, strengthen the safety and storage stability of lithium batteries, and meet the high-purity material standards of power batteries and energy storage batteries.

4. Regulate the physical and chemical properties of materials and adapt to diversified application scenarios By adjusting the graphitization temperature, holding time, and tooling process, the graphitization degree, compactness, and conductivity can be differentiated: high graphitization products have higher energy density and are suitable for consumer digital batteries; moderately graphitized composite anodes have stronger toughness and lower expansion rates, and are suitable for long-range power batteries and energy storage systems. At the same time, high-temperature treatment can improve the conductivity and compaction density of materials, which is conducive to high-density coating of electrode pieces and improves the energy density of battery cells.

5. Determine the cost of artificial anode and the value of large-scale mass production Graphitization is the process with the highest energy consumption and the largest proportion of cost in anode production, accounting for 30%~40% of the total cost of artificial graphite. Its process level directly affects production energy consumption, yield rate and capacity efficiency: mature internal string graphitization furnace and energy-saving roasting process can control production costs while ensuring performance; stable graphitization batch consistency can realize standardized mass production of anode materials, which is the key to large-scale replacement of natural graphite for artificial graphite anodes and support the large-scale development of lithium battery industry chain.

6. Improve the processing performance of the material, adapt to the high-temperature graphitization of downstream pole sheet manufacturing, the surface morphology of the particles is more stable, the mechanical strength is improved, the fluidity and compaction of the powder are significantly optimized, the powder loss and crushing problems in the process of pulping, coating and rolling are reduced, the production and processing difficulty of downstream battery cells is reduced, and the consistency of the pole pieces and the yield of finished products are improved.

In summary, graphitization is not only the core means of structural modification, but also the core link of performance regulation, and it is also the core process of artificial graphite anode that distinguishes it from ordinary carbon materials and meets the needs of lithium battery energy storage.

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