What is the Difference Between Carbonization and Graphitization?

Carbonization and graphitization are two different industrial processes that involve carbon as either a reactant or a product. The key difference between the two lies in the nature of the processes:

• Carbonization involves the conversion of organic matter into carbon. This process typically occurs through destructive distillation, a pyrolytic reaction that involves various complex sub-processes such as dehydrogenation, condensation, hydrogen transfer, and isomerization. Carbonization is a chemical change.
• Graphitization is an industrial process in which carbon gets converted into graphite. This process involves a microstructural change in carbon or low alloy steel, which is exposed to a temperature of 425 to 550 ℃ for a long time, such as 1000 hours. Graphitization is a microstructural change.

In summary, carbonization is a chemical change where organic matter is converted into carbon, while graphitization is a microstructural change where carbon is converted into graphite.

Comparative Table: Carbonization vs Graphitization

Here is a table comparing the differences between carbonization and graphitization:

In summary, carbonization is a chemical change that involves the conversion of organic matter into carbon, while graphitization is a microstructural change that converts carbon into graphite. Both processes involve carbon as either a reactant or a product, but they differ in their applications and methods.