Brochure: Carbon Additives for Polymer Compounds - Timcal Graphite

the product
Introduction to EnSACo®
Conductive Carbon Black
Conductive carbon blacks are carbon blacks
with high to very high stucture (or void volume)
allowing the retention of a carbon network at
low to very low filler content. The void volume
can originate from the interstices between the
carbon black particles, due to their complex arrangement,
and from the porosity.
HoW EnSACo® ConduCTIvE CARBon
BLACkS ARE pRoduCEd
The Timcal carbon black process has been developed
around 1980 and is commercially exploited
since 1982. The plant uses most modern
technology. The process is based on partial oil
oxidation of carbochemical and petrochemical
origin. The major difference with other partial
combustion carbon black technologies lies in
the aerodynamic and thermodynamic conditions:
• low velocity;
• no quench;
• no additives.
This leads to a material with no or nearly no
sieve residue on the 325 mesh sieve and allows
the highest possible purity.
The granulation process has been developed to
achieve an homogeneously consistent product
maintaining an outstanding dispersibility. It is in
fact a free-flowing soft flake characterised by a
homogeneous and very low crushing strength
that guarantees the absence of bigger and
harder agglomerates.
The process enables the production of easily
dispersible low surface area conductive carbon
blacks as well as very high surface area conductive
carbon blacks. The unique combination of
high structure and low surface area also contributes
to give outstanding dispersibility and
smooth surface finish. The low surface area materials
show a chain-like structure comparable
to acetylene black. The very high surface area
materials belong to the Extra Conductive (EC)
family. Although ENSACO® Carbon Blacks are
slightly more graphitic than furnace blacks, they
are quite close to the latter ones as far as reinforcement
is concerned.
ENSACO® Carbon Blacks combine to a certain
extent both the properties of furnace and acetylene
black, reaching the optimal compromise.
4
TEM picture of ENSACO® 250 G
Carbon Black showing the high
level of aggregation.
By courtesy of University of
Louvain (Louvain-La-Neuve)
STM picture of the surface of
ENSACO® 250 G Carbon Black
5x5 nm.
By courtesy Prof. Donnet - Mulhouse
SEM picture of ENSACO® 250 G
Carbon Black illustrating the
high void volume.
By courtesy of University of
Louvain (Louvain-La-Neuve)
100 nm
100 nm