The Acheson process is a process to synthesize graphite, named after its inventor Edward Goodrich Acheson.
The process consists of heating a mixture of clay (aluminum silicate) and powdered coke (carbon) in an iron bowl. Acheson, in 1890, originally attempted to synthesize artificial diamond, but ended up creating blue crystals of silicon carbide, which he called Carborundum.[1] When heated to 4150°C, the silicon is removed, leaving graphite. The process was patented by Acheson in 1896.[2]