IMPROVED PROCESS FOR THE PRODUCTION OF CARBON BODIES

A method of forming a graphitic carbon body employs compression and resistance heating of a stock blend of coke and pitch. Preferably, the stock includes raw coke, high melting point pitch, and carbon fibers derived from pitch. Optionally, the stock may also include calcinated coke, graphite, carbon fibers, coal tar or petroleum pitch, or coking catalysts such as sulfur. During molding of the body, resistance heating is accompanied by application of mechanical pressure to increase the density and carbonization of the resulting preform body. The preform is then subjected to a graphitization temperature to form a graphitic carbon body, such as a graphite electrode or pin. Optionally, after hot-pressing, the preform electrode or pin may be subjected to one or more densification steps employing a carbonizable pitch to further increase the density of the preform prior to the graphitization step.