Introduction to Carbon Black and Activated Carbon

Introduction to Carbon Black and Activated Carbon

ARPA-E Methane Pyrolysis Cohort Kickoff Meeting

Dec. 2019

Dave Matheu

About Cabot Corporation

2ARPA-E METHANE COHORT MEETING DEC. 2019

Global specialty chemicals company

~$3B/yr annual sales

40+ mfg. sites, in 21 countries

Some core capabilities: Process and product safety

Production of fine particles

Surface modification

Applications research

Annual sales ~ $3B/yr

Carbon Blacks #1 Inkjet Colorants #1

Activated Carbons #2 Fumed Metal Oxides #2

Carbon Nanostructures Particulate Aerogels

Carbon Blacks are aggregated nanoparticles of C


Aggregate particles, made up of a

number of “primary particles”

Primary particles in any aggregate about

the same size

Crystal structure varies; usually “semi-

amorphous”; more amorphous in middle

of particle

Mostly pure C (except for S)

Donnet et al, 1993

500 nm

Primary Particle Size

Aggregate

Size

Carbon blacks are engineered, functional materials that solve specific problems, in wide range of apps.


Primary Particle Size

Aggregate

Size

REINFORCEMENT

Tread Wear

Fuel efficiency

Cut/Tear Resistance

Compound Viscosity

Aggregate Size

Distribution

Surface Chemistry

Y. Kutsovsky

TIRE TREAD EXAMPLE

MANY OTHER APPLICATIONS

Batteries Plastics DisplaysPlastics

(1) By Wdwd - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=10282825

HV Cable (1) Paints and Coatings

Thus the carbon black market is highly segmented, in spite of low prices and large volumes


How “12 MM MT/yr” is divided up by structure and s. area

I2 No. mg/kg 82

STSA m2/g 76

OAN ml/100 g 102

COAN ml/100 g 88

Tint % 104

N330 Grade:

Each grade solves

certain kinds of

problems.

Each grade in each

segment is controlled

in 5+ properties.

Customization within-

grade is common.

Activated carbon is a multi-scale network of pores in a carbon skeleton, with specific surface chemistry


One Teaspoon of Carbon Matches the Area of a Football Field

Micro pores < 1 nmMeso pores 1-25 nmMacro pores > 25 nm

Global production is 1 to 2 MM MT/yr

Activated carbons are used to purify gases and liquids, support catalysts, and in some electronics


Capacitors

Feed and method combine to produce specific pore structure and surface chemistry for application


For these reasons, activated carbon market is also segmented

AC and CB fall on the “experience curve” – a relationship linking scale, specialization and cost


3 B300 MM30 MM3 MM300K30K

0.01

Co

nve

rsio

n C

ost, $

/kg

0.1

1

10

100

1,000

Annual Production, MT/yr

CBTire

CFiber

TiO2

Concrete

P CokeCement

Graphite

Lignite

3,000300

MWCNT

Li-ion cathode

Large production

volumes ≠ high $/kg

Market outlets for “valuable” solid carbon, at volumes of this program, need to be invented/discovered


1 Quad H2 per year /3.5% US Xport Energy/22 MM MT C

Polyethylene: 100 MM MT/yr

Concrete: 10 000 MM MT/yr

Asphalt Paving: 800 MM MT/yr (US & Europe) 95% of this is “filler,” but at sand/gravel price of ~$0.01/kg

Helpful features of solid carbon byproduct with large volumes


No Toxicity: no Ni, other toxic metals, PAH, dioxins, stiff

nanotubes ...(or ensure there is no exposure route to people or environment)

High Density

Flowable

Storable

backup



Introduction to Carbon Black and Activated Carbon

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