| abstract |
Conventional methods for producing artificial graphite are expensive because it is necessary to form an aggregate and binder and to carry out repeated impregnation, carbonization, and graphitization in order to obtain a material of superior crystallinity, and because the carbonization and graphitization proceed by a solid-phase reaction and a long production period of two to three months is therefore necessary. Moreover, it is not possible to produce structures in large shapes, such as columnar or cylindrical shapes. Furthermore, nanocarbon materials such as carbon nanotubes, carbon nanofibers, or carbon nanohorns cannot be efficiently produced. Provided is a method in which suitably calcined aggregate is hermetically sealed inside a graphite vessel and then subjected to hot isostatic pressing (HIP) employing isotropic gas pressure, and using hydrocarbons, hydrogen, and other gases generated from the filler as the starting material, gas-phase growth of the graphite and precipitation around and inside the filler are allowed to occur such that a single structure is formed by the carbide aggregate and the graphite allowed to precipitate with gas-phase growth. Nanocarbon materials can be selectively and efficiently produced by adding a catalyst and adjusting the HIP treatment temperature, and the like. |