Title: Graphite
CAS Registry Number: 7782-42-5
Synonyms: Plumbago; black lead; mineral carbon
Literature References: Obtained by mining, especially in Canada and Ceylon. Monograph: A. R. Ubbelohde, F. A. Lewis,
Graphite and Its Crystal Compounds (Oxford, 1960).
Review: Holliday
et al. in
Comprehensive Inorganic Chemistry vol. 1, J. C. Bailar, Jr.
et al., Eds. (Pergamon Press, Oxford, 1973) pp 1250-1294.
Properties: Crystallized carbon with traces of Fe, SiO2, etc. Usually soft, black scales, crystals rare. d 2.09-2.23. Mohs' hardness = 1.0. Commercial varieties usually withstand temps up to 2820°. Sol in molten iron.
Density: d 2.09-2.23
CAUTION: Potential symptoms of overexposure are coughing, dyspnea, black sputum, decreased pulmonary function and lung fibrosis.
See NIOSH Pocket Guide to Chemical Hazards (DHHS/NIOSH 97-140, 1997) p 154.
Use: For "lead" pencils, refractory crucibles, stove polish; as pigment, lubricant, graphite cement; for matches and explosives, commutator brushes, anodes, arc-lamp carbons, electroplating; polishing compds, rust and needle-paper; coating for cathode ray tubes; moderator in nuclear piles.
