Graphite: Unique Structure Provides for Specific Characteristics and Forms of Graphite & Carbons
Graphite One of the most fascinating substances on the planet is Graphite . It can be found naturally in the form of a mineral or made synthetically. The first use of charcoal may be traced back to primordial man, who drew on cave walls with it. Egyptians also used it to embellish pottery. Charcoal was employed as a refractory to line moulds throughout the Middle Ages in order to produce smoother cannonballs that could be fired further. Charcoal has been mistaken for other minerals throughout history, particularly galena and molybdenum. The mineral has been given names such as plumbago and black lead, and through time, the phrase graphite (meaning "to write") has come to be used to characterize it. Characteristics The hue of Graphite ranges from grey to black, and it has a metallic shine. With a Mohs hardness of 1 to 2, it is a relatively soft crystalline form of carbon. At normal temperatures, charcoal is stable and chemically inert, but in the absence of air, it has an ext...