The Indianapolis times., 1935-11-04
CARBON BLACK
FINDS LARGER
TRADE OUTLET
About 81 Per Cent of 1t,
However, Still Goes Into
Rubber Products.
Times Special

Times Special
NEW YORK. Nov. 4.-The ex-
panding uses and improved colora-
tion effects of carbon black, SUD-
piled as an ultra-fine pigment pow
der, exemplify a noteworthy achieve
ment of industrial research conduct
ed largely by Binney & Smith. the
research and distribution unit of the
Columbian Carbon Co.
Its studies at the Mellon Institute
OF Industrial Research at Pittsburgh
have extended the miscellaneous
uses of carbon black into new COM
mercial markets such as the sulphur
cementS. acetate rayon yarn. rubber
wire insulations, radio reSistors. dry
batteries and many another where
1t is appreciated more for its
strengthening properties than for
coloration effects. Currently its
usage in nodded plastica is a mar
ket being aggressively exploited.
Previously Was Wasted
Carbon black. originally called
carbon smut. is elemental carbon in
Its purest commercial chemical state
1t is not TO be confused with lamn
black or chimney smoke. which are
essentially the carbon SCOT or
Smudge off taroilS. Charcoal and
coal are also essentially carbon. but
IN a less pure and different form.
Carbon black is the fine pigment
powder pulled. out" or Cracked"
out OF the flame of burning natural
gas from low pressure gas and oil
wells, which gases were once wasted.
PRODUCED mainly in Texas, the
United States enjoys a virtual world
monopoly in this very important
ilne black pigment. Russia. Japan
ard Rumania produce only small
quantities of inferior quality.
The growth of the carbon in
dustry thus far has paralleled that
OF the automobile industry. mas
much as 81 per cent of production
goes into rubber products, primarily
auto tires. Until 1912, it was en-
ployed for coloration until it was
discovered that carbon black has a
great strengthening effect on rub
Der. The typical auto tire contains
about four pounds of carbon black
and its usage at least triples the life
of the tire. However, this is the
low-priced product based on heavy
output.
With 81 per cent of carbon black
production going into rubber prod
uctS. the remaining outlets are ink.
to the extent of 10 per cent: paints
and lacquers for per cent. and
the miscellaneous uses, like paper,
typewriter ribbons and so on. for
the remaining 3 per cent. It is in
expanding the miscellaneous outlets
that research results have been
conspicuous, although the new
markets are too recent to account
Tor much volume.
Production QuadrupIed
In the last II years production
OF carbon black has quadrupled.
The indicated production for 1898
is 310,000,000 pounds. The record
year was 1888, when output ap-
proximated 36O,OOO,OOO pounds.
The high quality, ultra fine
carbon black is going more and
more into lacquers, paints, inks and
paper as black pigment, with one
notable research achievement be-
ing the development of an auto
mobile lacquer Of extreme black
ness and superior weather resisting
virtues. Paint and ink oils also are
being worked on by the re-
Searchers.
Usage of emulsified carbon black
IN concrete highways to cut down
the glare is growing market. The
japanese have been importing
much of the finely ground quality
powder to give their ebony teak
wood furniture superior black
gloss.