Low-temperature catalytic upcycling of petroleum coke into battery-grade graphite

npj Materials Sustainability 2026 Open access

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Authors: Ramu Banavath, Yufan Zhang, Sayyam Deshpande, Jodie L. Lutkenhaus, Micah J. Green
DOI: 10.1038/s44296-026-00115-w
Cited by: 3
References: 36

Abstract

Petroleum coke, a low-value byproduct of oil refining, is widely used as an industrial fuel with significant carbon and sulfur emissions. Converting petroleum coke into battery-grade graphite reduces its environmental footprint while meeting the rising demand for sustainable energy materials. Conventional graphitization, however, requires extreme temperatures (>3000 °C) and long processing times, limiting industrial adoption. We demonstrate a catalytic graphitization process that transforms the coke into graphite at

Fields of Study & Subjects

Fiber-reinforced polymer composites Thermochemical Biomass Conversion Processes Graphite nuclear technology radiation studies

Publication details

Journal / source
npj Materials Sustainability
Publisher
Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Volume
4
Issue
1
Publication date
3 June 2026
Language
EN