The National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST) has succeeded in producing graphite, which is used as anode material for lithium-ion batteries, from components contained in pine resin. Behind this lies the current dependence on China for the supply of graphite, essential for high-tech industries, and the need to shift to non-fossil resources to realize a decarbonized society.

Successful Graphite Production from Resin Acid Derived from Pine Resin

On July 1, 2026, a research team led by the Hydrocarbon Resource Conversion Research Group at the Energy Process Research Division of AIST, for the first time, demonstrated for the first time that graphite can be converted into graphite by synthesizing pitch, a precursor to artificial graphite, using resin acid contained in pine resin resin (rosin), a pine resin sap, as a raw material, and heat-treating this material. Traditionally, synthetic graphite was produced from pitch derived from fossil fuels such as petroleum and coal, but this research demonstrates that high-performance carbon materials can be created from plant-based biomass resources.

A major point of the research was focusing on resin acids such as avietic acid, which have regular structures contained in pine resin, and designing materials from the bottom up by referencing the molecular structure of existing petroleum-based pitches. In the experiment, about 8 grams of graphite were successfully extracted from 100 grams of pine resin. It has also been confirmed that the graphite obtained by this method possesses charge-discharge characteristics suitable for use as anode material for lithium-ion batteries. This new technology, which utilizes plant-based renewable resources, is expected to diversify the raw materials for synthetic graphite and represent a significant step toward building sustainable manufacturing processes. Please refer to Figure 1 below.

Overcoming China’s Dependence on Graphite Resources

The reason this research has attracted significant attention lies in the resource supply risks faced by Japan’s advanced industries. Graphite is lightweight, strong, and has high electrical and thermal conductivity, making it an indispensable material in a wide range of industries, including lithium-ion battery anodes for electric vehicles (EVs), heaters for semiconductor manufacturing, and electrodes for electric furnaces in the steel industry. However, according to data from the Japan Energy and Metals National Corporation, Japan currently relies on China for about 90% of its imports of natural and synthetic graphite.

In recent years, concerns have arisen over procurement instability, such as rising geopolitical tensions and stricter environmental regulations, such as China introducing export controls on graphite. Graphite is positioned as an extremely important specified critical material from the perspective of economic security, and breaking away from a system overly dependent on specific suppliers has become an urgent task. The opening of a path to produce high-quality graphite from plant-based raw materials like pine resin, which can be sourced domestically, is extremely significant for maintaining Japan’s industrial competitiveness and ensuring a stable supply of resources. Companies such as Nippon Carbon, a domestic carbon manufacturer, have cited soaring raw material prices and changes in the trade environment as management risks, making diversification of raw materials a long-cherished wish for the entire industry.

Research Methodology and Technical Significance

Bottom-up design modeled after the structure of existing pitches

The method adopted by AIST’s research team is distinctly different from conventional biomass utilization. Although there have been attempts to produce graphite from charcoal and other materials, many carbides obtained by heating woody biomass remain disrupted even after high-temperature heat treatment, making graphite, which has a regular layered structure, difficult to change. This is because the traditional top-down approach of breaking down large plant-derived molecules failed to control the intermediate steps essential for graphitization.

In this study, AIST’s molecular-level design and evaluation technologies for heavy hydrocarbons, developed through analysis of petroleum refining processes and other processes, were utilized. The research team modeled the molecular structure of petroleum-derived pitch and reconstructed a similar structure using plant-derived components in a bottom-up design. Specifically, by removing oxygen from the resin acids abundant in pine resin and enhancing aromaticity, the resin melts during heat treatment, creating a state where carbon atoms can easily rearrange. This material design guideline is expected to be applicable to other plant-derived components such as terpenes beyond pine resin, and is considered to bring new possibilities to the design of biomass-derived carbon materials.

Ensuring Graphitization and Processing Freedom Without Catalysts

Another technical breakthrough in this research was achieving graphitization using only stepwise heat treatment without using catalysts. Previous research had known methods to use catalysts to convert biomass into graphite, but since such methods do not pass through a heat-melting intermediate called pitch, only powdered materials can be obtained, making molding and processing difficult. As an industrial product, graphite needs to be molded into specific shapes according to its application, so flexibility in processing is extremely important.

The synthetic pitch derived from pine resin developed by AIST exhibits thermal melting properties, dissolving and flowing like a liquid when heated, which is similar to the properties of pitches derived from petroleum and coal currently used industrially. Because of this fluidity, it is possible to process molded bodies with complex shapes such as crucibles, heaters, and electrodes. The highly developed graphite crystals under non-catalytic conditions have been demonstrated through analyses such as X-ray diffraction, and the crystallinity of the resulting materials has reached levels comparable to those of natural graphite. Please refer to Figure 2 below.

Demonstration as an anode material for lithium-ion batteries

Graphite derived from synthesized pine resin has actually been tested as an anode material for lithium-ion batteries. Lithium-ion batteries operate by charging and discharging by absorbing and releasing lithium ions in graphite powder. As a result of the experiments, a charge-discharge curve showing voltage changes characteristic of graphite was observed in batteries using this new material, proving its functional function as a battery material.

In the global anode material industry, Chinese players such as BTR New Energy and Putai Lai hold the top positions, while Japanese companies are competing on quality, with major players like Resonac competing on quality. Generally, synthetic graphite has the advantage of superior fast charging performance compared to natural graphite, but its production requires significant energy and raw materials derived from fossil fuels. The fact that graphite, which has equivalent functionality from plant-derived raw materials, has been produced this time, greatly contributes to reducing carbon dioxide emissions throughout the entire battery value chain. Going forward, the next goal is to further enhance battery characteristics such as capacity and refine performance to a level that can replace existing synthetic graphite products.

Future Outlook and Key Points

Challenges in reducing manufacturing costs and mass production

AIST’s recent achievements were a major success as laboratory technology demonstrations, but the biggest hurdles to social implementation lie in economic viability and building mass production systems. Experimental data showed that about 8 grams of graphite was obtained from 100 grams of pine resin, and the extent to which this yield (yield) can be improved will determine the success or failure of commercialization. The production of synthetic graphite requires heat treatment processes at temperatures exceeding 2000 degrees Celsius, which consumes a large amount of electricity, so it is necessary to optimize the balance between raw material procurement costs and energy costs.

Additionally, ensuring stable supply of pine resin remains a challenge. Currently, pine resin is widely used as a raw material for paints, adhesives, printing inks, and more, but if it is used in large quantities as a raw material for graphite production, competition with existing supply chains and fluctuations in procurement prices are expected. Going forward, AIST aims to reduce costs by thoroughly reviewing raw materials and optimizing synthesis conditions, as well as fundamentally reviewing the manufacturing process. This project, commissioned by NEDO (New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization), outlines a roadmap for social implementation with an eye toward around 2030, and progress in mass production demonstrations is drawing attention.

Spillover effects on next-generation energy infrastructure

If graphite derived from pine resin is put into practical use, its impact will extend beyond lithium-ion batteries. Graphite is used in all kinds of infrastructure supporting a carbon-neutral society, including next-generation power semiconductor manufacturing equipment, graphite furnaces for high-temperature gas furnaces considered a key decarbonization weapon, and electrodes for electric furnaces that regenerate iron scrap. In particular, electric furnace steelmaking is expected to be replaced globally because it can reduce carbon dioxide emissions to about one-quarter compared to blast furnaces, and demand for artificial graphite electrodes is expected to expand over the medium to long term.

AIST, in order to rapidly implement research results in society, is strengthening co-creation with private companies through its subsidiary AISol (AIST Solutions), established in April 2023. For this pine resin-derived graphite, early commercialization will likely be explored through joint research with domestic carbon material and battery manufacturers. This technology, which creates foundational materials for advanced industries from resources produced by plants, holds the potential to transform Japan’s industrial structure into a more sustainable and resilient one.

Reference Page

• [AIST: Graphite Production from ‘Matsuya-ni’] https://www.aist.go.jp/aist_j/press_release/pr2026/pr20260701/pr20260701.html

• 【Nature Communications – Graphitizable Pitch from Pine Resin Enables Bulk Graphite from Terpenes】https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-026-74338-9

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