Introduction to Carbon Black
Carbon black results from partial or incomplete combustion or decomposition of aromatic oils, liquids and gaseous hydrocarbons. Due to various methods of preparation, carbon black is also widely recognised as furnace black, lamp black, acetylene black, channel black and thermal black.
Carbon black is a well recognised commodity product in European markets and is commonly available in the market in various forms such as powder, granules and pellets. It is identified by EINECS 215-609-9 and CAS no 1333-86-4. It’s composed of pure elemental carbon and minute contaminants from the manufacturing process.Carbon Black N330
The main applications of carbon black are in end-products that require characteristics such as colour, tint properties, reinforcement performance such as modulus and tensile strength, viscosity, die swell and fatigue resistance. Carbon black also provides high resilience and abrasion resistance for use in rubber products.
The Value Chain
The key raw material for the manufacture of carbon black is carbon black feed stock (CBFS) or carbon black oil (CBO). This is essentially procured either from oil refineries or from coal tar distillers. The feed stock can also be imported into European markets from the Middle East by ships and bulk containers. Dow Chemical Company’s Aromatic Division provides CBFS to European markets apart from few other recognised suppliers.
Manufacturing and production of carbon black has been dominated by a few multination companies such as Degussa AG, Cabot Corp and Columbian Chemicals Company that hold 50 to 60 per cent of the global volumes. The rest of the global market is highly fragmented and dictated by regional competitiveness. In Europe, Degussa AG is considered as the market leader in carbon black manufacturing. The distribution of these products comprises of manufacturers dealing directly with end-users and also distributing to reach remote locations.Pigment Carbon Black
The primary end-application for carbon black is the rubber market sector. Within this market, production of automobile tyres account for a significant proportion of total usage. Other non-tyre applications include its use in rubber products such as conveyor belts, flaps, hoses and gaskets. Plastic industries also widely use carbon blacks for their masterbatch applications in fibers, moldings, conductive packaging, semi-conductive cable compounds and films. As pigment black they find use in a wide range of applications such as in printing, carbon paper, inks, paints & coatings, enamels, paper, printer cartridge and toner, leather finishes, dry-cell batteries, electrodes and carbon brushes, and tapes.Carbon Black Pigment
