Solar

Recent advances in the development of graphite-based products have opened up multiple new opportunities and markets for natural graphite suppliers. Research around the world is moving ahead rapidly on graphene for example which can be prepared as a flat single layer of carbon atoms which can transport electrons at remarkable speeds, making it a promising material for electronic devices. Solar cells stand to be one of the biggest beneficiaries of these new products, particularly as efforts are made to expensive materials such silicon and indium.

The production of silicon and solar wafers and cells is also using high-purity fine graphite and carbon-reinforced fibers, and in the manufacture of solar silicon pre-products, the crucibles, boats and various other molds and heating systems used in different processes are made from graphite or carbon-reinforced fibres, sometimes in very large dimensions. Finally, researchers at Arizona State University have also reported remarkable results using graphite nanoparticles as a substitute for silicon in solar panels. Adding these particles into heat-transfer mediums within the cells can dramatically boost the efficiency of the cells, which is one of the key challenges for increased solar adoption. Adding this graphite compound could increase the efficiencies by greater than 10-20 percent. Part of this effect is caused by the fact that graphite is black, and therefore absorbs light very efficiently.