Birla Carbon Awarded Gold Rating by EcoVadis for Sustainability

Birla Carbon Awarded Gold Rating by EcoVadis for Sustainability   Birla Carbon’s rating is the highest one given by EcoVadis and places Birla Carbon in the top tier among companies worldwide for its sustainability profile Recognized among top 1% of suppliers in the manufacture of other non-metallic mineral products for its fair [...]

Birla Carbon Announces Release of Its Fourth Sustainability Report 2016

Birla Carbon Announces Release of Its Fourth Sustainability Report 2016   Fourth consecutive report released since 2013 Sustainable Operational Excellence driving the business vision Comprehensive Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) G4 data included Second consecutive online report Atlanta/Mumbai, June 22, 2016 Birla Carbon, one of the world’s largest carbon black producers, announced the [...]

Birla Carbon Announces Restructuring of Europe & Africa Region

Birla Carbon Announces Restructuring of Europe & Africa Region   Marietta, GA, USA, March 18, 2016 Birla Carbon announces plans to restructure operations in the Europe & Africa Region.  The plan includes the proposed closure of the Hannover, Germany plant; permanent closure of one production line in the Alexandria, Egypt plant; and [...]

Birla Carbon Wins Top Honors at Asia Sustainability Reporting Awards in Singapore

Birla Carbon Wins Top Honors at Asia Sustainability Reporting Awards in Singapore   Mumbai, February 3, 2016 Birla Carbon received top honors at the Asia Sustainability Reporting Awards 2015. Birla Carbon was declared Asia’s best in three categories - ‘Asia’s Most Transparent Report’, ‘Asia’s Best Materiality Report’, ‘Asia’s Best Online CSR Communications’ [...]

TCB Recognized for Excellence in CSR by American Chamber of Commerce

TCB Recognized for Excellence in CSR by American Chamber of Commerce   Bangkok, Thailand, January 1, 2016 Thai Carbon Black (TCB) received recognition by the American Chamber of Commerce for excellence in Corporate Social Responsibility initiatives through 2015. The recognition was conferred on TCB at an event held in Bangkok, Thailand on [...]

Far East and Southeast Asia Price Change Announcement

Far East and Southeast Asia Price Change Announcement   August 3, 2015 Dear Valued Customer, Birla Carbon devotes the best possible efforts to deliver products with superior quality and performance to the customers, keeping prices at competitive levels. Nevertheless, the costs of the raw materials have been facing a mismatch with the [...]

North America Price Change Announcement

North America Price Change Announcement   July 31, 2015 Dear Valued Customer, Effective October 1, 2015, Birla Carbon will increase prices for rubber carbon black markets in North America by 10-12%. All shipments made on or after this date are subject to the price increase. Pricing adjustments for customers with supply contracts [...]

Specialty Blacks Price Change Announcement

Specialty Blacks Price Change Announcement   July 31, 2015 Dear Valued Customer, Effective globally October 1, 2015, Birla Carbon’s Specialty Blacks Business will increase prices for all Carbon Blacks by up to 9% depending on the product. All shipments made on or after this date are subject to the price increase. This [...]

Europe/Africa Price Change Announcement

Europe/Africa Price Change Announcement   July 31, 2015 Dear Valued Customer, Effective October 1, 2015, BIRLA CARBON will increase prices for all Carbon Blacks sold to the Rubber Market in Europe/Africa by +95, €/MT. All shipments made on or after this date are subject to the price increase. This announcement for price [...]

Birla Carbon Releases Sustainability Report 2015

Birla Carbon Releases Sustainability Report 2015   Third consecutive report released since 2013 First ‘only digital’ report in the industry Includes comprehensive international standard Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) G4 Mumbai, July 24, 2015 Birla Carbon, one of the world’s largest Carbon Black producers, announced the release of its third Sustainability Report. The [...]

Frequently Asked Questions

Carbon black refers to engineered carbon nanoparticles that are fused together to form unique 3-dimensional aggregates. Carbon black, in its pure form, is a fine black powder. It is produced by partial burning and pyrolysis of oil residues or natural gas at high temperatures under controlled process conditions. Carbon black is different from charcoal. Carbon black has a complex particulate structure that is formed in a gas phase produced from fully pyrolyzed hydrocarbons at high temperatures. Charcoal is produced by the pyrolysis of wood or other carbonaceous materials at lower temperatures and is in bulk or milled powder form. Due to their structural and morphological differences, they have distinctly different performances.

Carbon black is usually made from hydrocarbon oils, e.g., refined coal tar or heavy petroleum oil, or natural gas. Hydrocarbons derived from recycled tires, and biomass, e.g., wood, etc., are gaining increasing attention as sustainable sources of feedstock.

Carbon black is a vital component in making many of the products we use every day strong, appealing, durable and safe. Some of these solutions include tires, automotive weatherstrip and belts, plastic parts, coatings, inks and sealants. For example, tires without reinforcing carbon black would not run over 100 miles. As a pigment, carbon black offers desired color strength for applications ranging from electronic enclosures to automotive coatings, and household appliances. Carbon black imparts UV durability to rubber and plastic goods to ensure their service life for a few decades. As an electrically conductive additive, carbon black renders insulative rubber and plastic materials antistatic, electrodissipative or conductive to provide safety and protection, and thereby reliability for mining, electronic packaging, and wire and cable applications, to name a few.

In principle, carbon black can be stored for many years in a dry, cool, and well-ventilated location.  According to ATM D 8043 Standard Guide for Carbon Black — Shelf Life, “the shelf life of carbon black is defined as indefinite when stored in a manner that protects it from liquid water or high humidity environments. The only two properties of carbon black known to change over time are moisture and Iodine number. The moisture content can change over the short-term (weeks or months), depending on the ambient humidity and the surface area of the carbon black. Iodine number can change over an extended period (years) due to a slow increase in the oxygen content on the surface of the carbon black.”   However, “the slight change in Iodine Number over an extended period does not affect actual surface area properties and in-rubber performance of the carbon black.”

Detailed guidelines may be found in carbon black’s safety datasheet (SDS) provided by the manufacturer or supplier, or in Carbon Black User’s Guide provided by ICBA (International Carbon Black Association).  Below are a few examples: 1) Avoid dust formation; do not breathe dust; provide appropriate local exhaust to minimize dust formation; do not use compressed air; 2) Take precautionary measures against static discharges; 3) Maintain safe work practices, including the elimination of potential ignition sources in proximity to carbon black dust, good housekeeping to minimize accumulation of dust, and appropriate exhaust ventilation design and maintenance to control airborne dust levels, etc.; 4) Handle in accordance with good industrial hygiene and safety practices.5) Use process enclosures and/or exhaust ventilation to keep airborne dust concentrations 6) Wear appropriate PPEs. e.g., respirators, masks, safety glasses or goggles, protective glove, and clothing, etc.     

The industry has made tremendous progress in recovering carbon black for re-usage.  One of the examples is to reclaim carbon black from post-consumer tires and reuse it for tires or other applications.  After years of extensive research and development, Birla Carbon has introduced ContinuaTM Sustainable Carbonaceous Material (SCM) to make circularity a reality.  Please visit https://www.birlacarbon.com/continua/ or contact a Birla Carbon representative for details.

The certificate of analysis (COA) provided by the manufacturer or supplier summarizes a carbon black product’s key properties, including iodine or nitrogen surface area, structure (OAN), cleanliness (sieve residue).  that the COA may be used as a starting point to assess if the product meets quality requirements.  Please contact a Birla Carbon representative for assistance. 

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