graphitische

Graphitische is an adjective used in German-language science to describe materials or structures that are characteristic of graphite or graphitic carbon. In practice, it covers a family of carbon-based materials with layered, sp2-bonded networks, including graphite itself, graphene and graphite-like products such as carbon fibers and graphene-related compounds. The term is common in geology, materials science and engineering to indicate graphite-like properties.

Graphite consists of hexagonal sheets of carbon atoms in which each atom is bonded to three others in a two-dimensional plane. The sheets are loosely bound by van der Waals forces, allowing easy sliding and giving lubricity. This structure yields high in-plane electrical and thermal conductivity, anisotropic mechanical behavior, chemical inertness, and a characteristic metallic luster.

Natural graphite occurs in metamorphic rocks and igneous rocks as flake, lump, or amorphous varieties. Synthetic graphitic materials are produced from carbon-rich precursors by high-temperature treatment, chemical vapor deposition, or chemical reactions. Graphitic products include graphene, graphite oxide derivatives, and carbon fibers with varying degrees of graphitization.

Graphitische materials are used in batteries and supercapacitors as anodes, in electrodes, as lubricants, and in refractory linings. Graphitization refers to the transformation of amorphous or disordered carbon into crystalline graphite, typically at temperatures above about 2500–3000°C, sometimes accelerated by catalysts such as nickel or iron. In geology, graphitization is a marker of high-grade metamorphism.