▎ 摘　　要

NOVELTY - The method for converting a carbon source into a higher value material such as metal oxide or graphite, involves: shaping a metal catalyst, where the shape of the metal catalyst has at least one point; placing a carbon source onto the metal catalyst; sealing the carbon source and metal catalyst in a container; microwaving the container, where the microwaving induces sparking at the metal catalyst, and the microwaving increases the temperature of an inside of the sealed container; converting the carbon source into a higher value material; cooling the metal catalyst; and removing the higher value material from the metal catalyst. The method further comprises reducing the environment inside the container. The reduced environment comprises argon/hydrogen reducing environment. The metal catalyst comprises a copper metal foil. The carbon source comprises coal. The sparking occurs at the at least one point of the metal catalyst. USE - Method for converting a carbon source into a higher value material such as graphite, which is used in lubricants, high-temperature gasket, non-porous sealing layers, fire extinguisher agent for metal fires, thermal insulators for molten metals, conductivity additives for electromagnetic reflectors, enhancing mechanical performance, synthesizing other carbon materials (including graphene quantum dots), graphite intercalation compounds, fuel cells, and lithium-ion batteries. ADVANTAGE - The method converts a carbon source into a higher value material such as graphite with high yield and purity. DETAILED DESCRIPTION - An INDEPENDENT CLAIM is included for a system for converting a carbon source into a higher value material such as graphite.