The use of carbon as a pigment was one of the earliest human discoveries. Modern carbon blacks are the descendants of the soot used by our remote ancestors to draw the animals they hunted on the walls of their caves. The fact that these paintings have survived for the thousands of years since demonstrates the stability of carbon as a pigment.

Needless to say, today's carbon blacks offer levels of performance which could only be dreamt of in earlier times. James M. Brown is the agent in the UK for the special grades of carbon black manufactured by Cabot.

The vast majority of carbon blacks produced today are manufactured by the furnace process. This type of plant can produce material with particle diameters ranging from 10 - 90 nm and particle surface areas from 20 - 200 m²/g.

PLASTICS

Cabot produces many special grades specifically for use in plastics, each offering differing combinations of properties :-

• "jetness" (degree of blackness)
• tinting strength
• processability - optimum dispersion and compound melt viscosity
• UV protection
• electrical conductivity
• mechanical properties
• weathering

Particular grades of carbon black can be suggested for the following types of application :-

• pipes for potable and non-potable water and gas
• fibres - textile continuous fibres
• fibres - staple fibres
• films for use in packaging, agriculture and for general purpose use
• plastic sheeting
• injection and blow moulding
• cables

Cabot can supply grades which meet European Union or US FDA requirements for use in food-contact plastics. Please click HERE for further information.

PRINTING INKS

The following properties affecting ink performance are highly dependent on the carbon black "structure" :-

• wetting time
• dispersion properties
• viscosity
• flow properties
• colour tone
• optical density
• rub resistance

The "structure" of the pigment can be estimated by its oil absorption. Carbon blacks for printing inks have oil absorptions in the range 46 - 124 cm³/100g, particle sizes from 60 - 20 nm and BET surface areas from 30 - 138 m²/g.

Cabot can offer grades which offer the optimum balance of properties for a wide range of printing ink applications.

COATINGS

Cabot has a range of carbon black grades available which are suitable for use in the following range of applications, in both aqueous- and solvent-based systems :-

• automotive primers and topcoats (OEM or repair markets)
• marine coatings
• aerospace coatings
• can coatings
• decorative coatings
• wood coatings
• industrial coatings
• powder coatings

Selection of the correct grade for the particular application will produce an optimal balance of the following characteristics :-

• colour performance
• gloss
• stability
• dispersability
• weatherability

Please feel free to contact us for further information regarding the use of Cabot carbon blacks in plastic, printing ink or coating applications (contact details on our home page).

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