▎ 摘　　要

NOVELTY - Carbonizing an upgraded coal involves heating the upgraded coal in an inert environment, to form a carbonized upgraded coal. USE - Method for carbonizing an upgraded coal used for an electrochemical cell (claimed). ADVANTAGE - The method enables to carbonize an upgraded coal with undesirable properties such as low carbon concentration, high oxygen concentration, and high ash content. Such properties can make the coal less suitable for energy generation and production of high value materials such as graphene films. DETAILED DESCRIPTION - INDEPENDENT CLAIMS are included for: 1. a method for forming graphite, which involves cleaning coal to form a cleaned coal residue, at least one of reacting the cleaned coal residue with an oxidizable inorganic metallic agent, and reacting the cleaned coal residue with a reducing agent, to form an upgraded coal, heating the upgraded coal in an inert environment, to form a carbonized upgraded coal, where the heating comprises heating to a first temperature for a first duration, where the first temperature is in the range of 500-700℃, and where the first duration is in the range of 15 min to 1 h, heating to a second temperature higher than the first temperature for a second duration, where the second temperature is in the range of 900-1100℃, and where the second duration is in the range of 15 min to 1 h, and heating to a third temperature higher than the second temperature for a third duration, wherein the third temperature is in the range of 1,500-1,600℃, and where the third duration is in the range of 1 h to 3 h; wherein the carbonized upgraded coal has an ash content of 1-20 wt.%, and the carbonized upgraded coal has a fixed carbon (FC) content of 80-99 wt.%, and graphitizing the carbonized upgraded coal, to form the graphite, the graphitizing comprising heating the carbonized upgraded coal, the heating comprising heating to a first graphitization temperature for a first graphitization duration, wherein the first graphitization temperature is in the range of 1000-1500℃, and where the first graphitization duration is in the range of 0.1 s to 10 min, heating to a second graphitization temperature higher than the first graphitization temperature for a second graphitization duration, where the second graphitization duration is in the range of 0.1 s to 10 min, and heating to a third graphitization temperature higher than the second graphitization temperature for a third graphitization duration, wherein the third graphitization temperature is in the range of 2700-3000℃, and where the third graphitization duration is in the range of 30 min to 3 h, where the graphite has a fixed carbon content of 99-100 wt.%; 2. a graphite, which comprises croissant graphite that comprises a croissant-like texture and shape; and 3. a electrochemical cell, which comprises a cathode and an anode comprising the graphite.