Glassy carbon is a non-graphitizing, or nongraphitizable,
carbon which combines glassy and
ceramic properties with those of
graphite. The most important properties are high temperature resistance, hardness (7
Mohs), low density, low electrical resistance, low friction, low thermal resistance, extreme resistance to chemical attack and impermeability to gases and liquids. Glassy carbon is widely used as an electrode material in
electrochemistry, as well as for high temperature
crucibles and as a component of some prosthetic devices, and can be fabricated as different shapes, sizes and sections.
Photograph: Heinrich Pniok