One of the oldest manufactured products, dating back four thousand years, carbon black has been traditionally used over the centuries for its black pigmentation. In the early twentieth century, the reinforcing properties of carbon black on natural rubber were discovered, so that now, tires typically consist of 20 to 35% carbon black by weight. Carbon black is also an integral component of countless everyday products from pipes and other outdoor plastics to cables and batteries.
A very fine, very black powder, carbon black has a molecular and crystalline structure similar to graphite. It consists of primary particles (typically 10-50 nm) welded together into aggregates, also referred to as grape-like clusters (typically 50-250 nm).
Carbon black reinforces rubber. When rubber and carbon black are integrated together, carbon black allows the manufacture of a high-performance tire through wet traction enhancement, reduction of wear by abrasion, stiffness improvement, and many other performance advantages. Carbon black-incorporated rubber is found in countless products, including rubber hoses, tires, door seals, roofing components and more.
Carbon black in the plastics industry is first and foremost used as a pigment. However, carbon black enhanced plastics also provide improved UV resistance, increased strength, and a deep black pigment with tunable blue or brown undertones. Carbon black has the properties that make everyday plastics products useful, from electrical cables to trash bags to plastic forks.
Carbon black enhances UV protection and durability for coatings used in the automotive marine and aerospace industries. These coatings and adhesives enable products to last longer, have greater reliability, and resist corrosion.
Carbon black is an ideal black pigment-based particle for inkjet and toner applications. Carbon black provides a more black lustrous color when compared to iron oxide-based black or dye-based black color. Additionally, the longevity of the deep black color generated by carbon black is superior to competitive products in the industry.
Because carbon black conducts electricity, it is utilized in everyday batteries from Nickel Metal Hydride to Lead Acid to rechargeable Lithium Ion. Carbon black provides the appropriate amount of conductivity to the active component of these battery systems. Carbon black is also found in many electronic battery-based devices, including those in mobile phones, everyday electronics and disposable Lithium Ion batteries. This same conductivity enables carbon black to be an essential part of conductive inks that can be used for consumer electronics, RFID tags and systems where transition metal based conductive inks cannot be used.