it contain some primary information about carbon black and its manufacturing process... not in detail but just overview...
hope you will find it helpful...
1. Gujarat Technological University
L.D. College of Engineering
Year: 2016-17
Subject: Chemical Process Industries (2130505)
Topic : Manufacturing of Carbon Black
Name of the Student:
Jaydrath Sindhav (160283105011)
2. History of Carbon Black
The first commercial nano-material. Carbon black was called "soot" in the west and "shouen"
in the east.
In the 1740's, plant production started in the United States, and because of the production
method used, it was then called “lampblack.”
The term "carbon black" originated in the 1870's, when products manufactured from natural
gas were sold under this name and since then the name prevails.
An allotrope of carbon, mainly differing from graphite and so-called amorphous carbon by its
physical arrangement
Used since more than 5000 years in pigmentation Found its major development with
automobile and more specifically the tyre industry as rubber reinforcing agent.
3. Carbon black properties
Physicochemical properties
1. Particle size : This refers to the size of an individual particle of carbon black, the
smaller the particle size the larger the specific surface.
2. Structure : This shows the state of particles adhered to others of similar size and
also indicates oil absorption. The greater the oil absorption, the more complex the
configuration.
3. Surface characteristic : Various functional groups are combined on the surface of
carbon black, by modifying the surface properties, we can change the compound
characteristics.
4. Aggregate distribution : The size of the aggregates (individual carbon black
particles fused to other particles of a similar size) varies.
If the distribution is sharp, this indicates that there are many aggregates of the same
size.
4. Continue…
1. Reinforcement : Carbon black is added to the rubber used in tire treads, to high-
pressure hoses, and has other demanding applications, as well as added to plastics as
material reinforcement.
2. Conductivity : Conductive carbon black is added to natural rubber or other materials to
decrease their electrical resistance. For example: the conductivity of natural rubber is
1015Ωcm, whereas the conductivity of conductive rubber (natural rubber + conductive
carbon black) is between 1-1015Ωcm. It is believed that this characteristic is the result of
the structure of carbon black particles contacting each other which forms conductive
channels of electrons jumping between dispersed carbon black particles.
3. Pigmentation : Carbon black has strong tint properties, it is heat stable and suitable for
plastic and film colouring. This property is believed to result from the particle size and the
structure's interaction with light.
4. Preventive properties against ultraviolet degradation : Carbon black's absorption of
ultraviolet light is excellent. Adding carbon black to other materials prevents ultraviolet
degradation.
5. Carbon black common Uses
1. Rubber reinforcement : Carbon black is a rubber-reinforcing additive used in a
multitude of rubber products. In particular, in case of vehicles, large amounts of
carbon black are used for tires. In addition, carbon black is used with rubber to
dampen earthquake vibration, in the soles of shoes and in many other products.
2. Colours and pigments for plastics : Compared with other colorants, carbon black
has a high colouring power. Therefore. it is used as ink for printing newspapers, as
ink-jet toner, and other such uses. It is also suitable as a pigment for heat-molded
plastics, car fenders, coating for electric wires and other products.
3. Electric equipment and conductive components : Since carbon black has
excellent conductive properties, it is used as a component for magnetic tapes and
semiconductors.
6. Carbon black manufacturing process
Carbon black is produced by combusting oil or gas with a great deal of oxygen inside
large furnaces. The furnace walls lined with bricks become very hot because the oxygen
and oil combust.
By varying the amount of oil and air, the internal temperature of the furnace can be
altered, which permits manipulation of the particle size and particle connections of the
carbon black being produced.
The time required to produce carbon black from oil is so short that it cannot be confirmed
by the human eye
7. Classification of carbon black manufacturing processes
Manufacturing process Raw material Manufacturing method Explanation
Incomplete combustion
Aromatic hydrocarbon oil Oil furnace
This is currently the most common
method
Mineral/vegetable oils Lampblack Oldest industrial method
Natural gas
Channel
Flames contact the lower surface of
a channel (an H-shaped steel beam)
Gas furnace
Useful for fine-particle carbon
black
Thermal decomposition
Acetylene Acetylene decomposition
As this is a heat-generation
reaction, continuous production is
possible
Natural gas Thermal
Combustion and thermal
decomposition are repeated in
cycles
8. Oil furnace method
he furnace method is a carbon black production method that uses continual thermal decomposition
of feedstock using heat generated by the combustion of fuel and air.
To resist high temperatures, a special reaction section is lined with a heat-resistant material. Hot air
and fuel (oil) are introduced into this section to undergo complete combustion, which elevates the
temperature to 1300 degrees.
When a high-temperature atmosphere is formed, feedstock oil is continuously atomized for thermal
decomposition.
High-temperature gas with carbon black formed downstream of the reactor is atomized with water
to quickly lower its temperature to 1000 degrees, which stops the reaction.
The time between carbon black formation and the end of the reaction is extremely short—generally
around a few milliseconds to 2 seconds.
9. Continue…
During this short reaction process, adjustments made to the reactor shape and
manufacturing conditions—such as the reactor's temperature and reaction time—make
possible the manufacture of carbon black with different particle sizes and structures
(particle bonds).
10. Lampblack method
This method has been used since ancient times and consists of heating resin from trees to
produce carbon black. In Europe, this method was used until the middle of the 1930's,
when it was replaced by the furnace method.
Lampblack manufacturing equipment consists of a metallic plate to place the raw material,
and a cover with a heat-resistant lining for collection. Between the metallic plate and the
cover, there is a space into which air can penetrate. Adjusting the amount of air controls the
carbon black quality. Radiant heat from the cover vaporizes the raw material and produces
partial combustion, resulting in carbon black.
11. Channel Process
This method forms carbon black by bringing partially combusted fuel, which is generated
with natural gas as raw material, into contact with channel steel (H-shaped steel) and then
collecting the carbon black which results.
There are yield and environment issues around this method, and therefore has lost the
leading role as the mass production process to the furnace process. This method, however,
provides carbon black with many functional groups on the surface, being used in some
painting applications.
12. Acetylene Black Process & Gas Furnace Process
Acetylene Black Process
This process obtains carbon black by thermally decomposing acetylene gas. It provides
carbon black with higher structures and higher crystallinity, and is mainly used for electric
conductive agents.
Furnace Black Process
This method forms carbon black by blowing petroleum oil or coal oil as raw material
(feedstock oil) into high-temperature gases to combust them partially. This method is
suitable for mass production due to its high yield, and allows wide control over its
properties such as particle size or structure. This is currently the most common method
used for manufacturing carbon black for various applications from rubber reinforcement to
colouring.