Carbon black is a fine black powder, essentially composed of elemental carbon, and is vital in making many products we use every day. Carbon black (subtypes are acetylene black, channel black, furnace black, lamp black and thermal black) is a material produced by the incomplete combustion of coal and coal tar, vegetable matter, or petroleum products, including fuel oil, fluid catalytic cracking tar, and ethylene cracking. Carbon black is a form of paracrystalline carbon that has a high surface-area-to-volume ratio, albeit lower than that of activated carbon. It is dissimilar to soot in its much higher surface-area-to-volume ratio and significantly lower (negligible and non-bioavailable) polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) content.

Carbon black is composed of fine particles consisting mainly of carbon. Various features of carbon black are controlled in production by partially combusting oil or gases.

Carbon black is widely used in various applications from black coloring pigment of newspaper inks to electric conductive agent of high-technology materials.

• Particle Size: A smaller particle size ensures an intense black colour. However, the dispersion rate becomes less.
• Structure Size: An increase in structure size increases the conductivity of the carbon type. The blackness of the material degrades, and the dispersibility increases.

Application of Carbon Black:

• A large amount of carbon black is used mainly in tires as excellent rubber reinforcement. Carbon black is also an excellent colouring agent as black pigment, and therefore is widely used for printing inks, resin coloring, paints, and toners. Furthermore, carbon black is used in various other applications as an electric conductive agent, including antistatic films, fibers, and floppy disks.
• It is used in the food and packaging industry.
• Carbon Black absorbs the UV radiations. Hence, it is mixed in polypropylene to prevent degradation.
• The high carbon black conductivity allows it to provide electrical conductivity to polymers.
• It is used in radar-absorbent materials to facilitate RF radiation-absorbing.
• Laser printers, toners, inks, paints also use different types of carbon black.
• They are also employed in the electronic industry.
• It is used as a filler in adhesives, films, plastics, and paints.
• Carbon black obtained from vegetables is used for food colouring.