# Utilizing Graphite Waste from the Acheson Furnace as Anode Material in Lithium-Ion Batteries
## 4 Conclusions  
In this study, we demonstrated the feasibility of utilizing graphite waste (GW) from the Acheson furnace as a cost-effective and sustainable anode material for lithium-ion batteries (LIBs). By leveraging the high carbon purity (98.5%-99.9%) and crystallinity (93.5%) of GW, we successfully eliminated the need for the energy-intensive graphitization process, thereby significantly reducing production costs and environmental impact. The structural and electrochemical characterization revealed that GW-derived anodes, after spheronization and carbon coating, exhibit physical and electrochemical properties comparable to commercial anode materials. Moreover, the findings underscore the importance of optimizing processing parameters, such as tap density (TD) and specific surface area (SSA), which were found to significantly influence the material's electrochemical performance. The study highlights that achieving a balance between TD and SSA is critical for ensuring competitive performance in LIB anode applications. These results validate the potential of GW as a scalable and practical alternative to conventional graphite-based anodes. While previous studies on recycled carbon anodes have often been limited by low production yields, complex manufacturing processes, and challenges in industrial scalability, this study highlights a simpler and more cost-efficient approach by directly using industrial graphite waste. Additionally, the elimination of energy-intensive processes, such as high-temperature graphitization, demonstrates a clear pathway toward reducing the carbon footprint of LIB manufacturing. The reuse of GW not only reduces dependency on virgin graphite resources but also addresses key environmental challenges by minimizing waste generation and promoting sustainable manufacturing practices. This research provides a foundation for future work to explore long-term cycling performance and further optimize the industrial-scale application of GW-based anodes. With continued development, GW-derived anodes could offer a transformative solution for the production of environmentally friendly and economically viable LIBs, contributing to the advancement of sustainable energy storage technologies. The following supporting information can be downloaded at: [[https://www.mdpi.com/article/10.3390/app142311353/s1](https://www.mdpi.com/article/10.3390/app142311353/s1)]([https://www.mdpi.com/article/10.3390/app142311353/s1](https://www.mdpi.com/article/10.3390/app142311353/s1)), Figure S1: XRD pattern and SEM image of CAM; Figure S2: SEM images of JMGW and SGWX samples; Table S1: Result of proximate analysis for GW; Table S2: Result of X-ray fluorescence analysis for GW; Table S3: d-spacing value of the (002) plane and graphitization degree of CAM; Table S4: Average particle size, span, specific surface area, and tap density of CAM; Table S5: Proximate analysis result and QI value for CT and RCT; Table S6: Mass loading and electrode density of the prepared electrodes. Conceptualization, I.Y. ; methodology, I.Y., S.-M.P. and J.-C.A. ; validation, S.-W.K., M.Y.H. and J.-C.A. ; formal analysis, I.Y., S.C. and S.-W.K. ; investigation, I.Y., S.-M.P. and J.-C.A. ; resources, S.-W.K., M.Y.H. and J.-C.A. ; data curation, I.Y., S.-M.P. and J.-C.A. ; writing--original draft preparation, I.Y. ; writing--review and editing, I.Y., S.-M.P. and J.-C.A. ; visualization, I.Y. and S.C.; supervision, S.-M.P. and J.-C.A. ; project administration, M.Y.H. and J.-C.-A. All authors have read and agreed to the published version of the manuscript. This work was supported by the Technology Innovation Program (20020300, Development of waste carbon resource-based anode material manufacturing technology for secondary battery) funded By the Ministry of Trade, Industry & Energy (MOTIE, Korea). This work was supported by the Technology Innovation Program (RS-2024-00422895), Development of ultra high-quality precursors for super premium grade graphite block manufacturing) funded by the Ministry of Trade Industry & Energy (MOTIE, Korea). Not applicable.