introduction to carbon black and activated carbon
TRANSCRIPT
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
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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.
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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
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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
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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
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Capacitors
Feed and method combine to produce specific pore structure and surface chemistry for application
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For these reasons, activated carbon market is also segmented
AC and CB fall on the “experience curve” – a relationship linking scale, specialization and cost
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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
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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
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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