Carbon black is the predominant black pigment in paints, coatings, and printing inks due to its exceptional color strength, lightfastness, chemical resistance, and cost-effectiveness. Specialty carbon black grades provide the jetness, tinting strength, and rheological properties required for high-performance coating applications across automotive, industrial, architectural, and printing sectors.
High-jetness carbon black provides the deep black color in automotive OEM basecoats, clearcoats, and refinish systems. Dispersibility and color consistency are critical for matching vehicle body panels.
Recommended Products: High-Jetness Pigment Blacks, Specialty Automotive Grades
Protective coatings, marine paints, coil coatings, and powder coatings use carbon black for color, conductivity, and UV resistance in demanding service environments.
Recommended Products: N220, N330, Medium-Jetness Pigment Grades
Carbon black is the primary black pigment in offset, flexographic, gravure, screen, and digital printing inks. Ink formulations require specific carbon black grades optimized for rheology, dispersion, and color density.
Recommended Products: Ink-Grade Carbon Blacks (various jetness levels)
Tinting pastes, black paints, and colored paints use carbon black for color strength and tinting power. Exterior architectural coatings benefit from carbon black’s UV stability.
Recommended Products: N330, Medium-Color Carbon Blacks
Carbon black provides black coloration and electrical conductivity control for powder coating applications on metal substrates.
Recommended Products: N330, N550, Specialty Powder Coating Grades
Carbon black pigments provide deep, uniform black coloration in wood finishing products, furniture coatings, and deck stains.
Recommended Products: Medium-Color Carbon Blacks
Carbon black dispersions provide consistent black coloration and durability in leather coatings for footwear, upholstery, and automotive interiors.
Recommended Products: Specialty Leather-Grade Carbon Blacks
Specialty carbon black grades are used in laser printer toners, photocopier developers, and inkjet inks, requiring precise particle size control and triboelectric charging properties.
Recommended Products: Toner-Grade Specialty Blacks
Property |
Unit |
High-Jetness Grade |
Medium-Color Grade |
Regular Color Grade |
Test Method |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Particle Size
|
nm
|
10 – 20
|
20 – 30
|
30 – 50
|
ASTM D3849
|
Nitrogen Surface Area
|
m²/g
|
200 – 500
|
100 – 200
|
30 – 100
|
ASTM D6556
|
DBP Absorption
|
cm³/100g
|
100 – 150
|
80 – 120
|
60 – 100
|
ASTM D2414
|
Tint Strength
|
% ITRB
|
120 – 140
|
105 – 115
|
90 – 105
|
ASTM D3265
|
Volatile Content
|
%
|
< 2
|
< 1.5
|
< 1
|
ASTM D1509
|
pH Value
|
—
|
2 – 4 (oxidized) or 7 – 9
|
7 – 9
|
7 – 9
|
ASTM D1512
|
Oil Absorption
|
g/100g
|
50 – 80
|
40 – 60
|
30 – 50
|
ASTM D281
|
Blackness Value (My)
|
—
|
250 – 300+
|
200 – 250
|
< 200
|
DIN 55979
|
First Digit |
Classification |
Particle Size Range (nm) |
Typical Application |
|---|---|---|---|
1
|
SAF (Super Abrasion Furnace)
|
11 – 19
|
Premium treads
|
2
|
ISAF (Intermediate Super Abrasion Furnace)
|
20 – 25
|
Tyre treads
|
3
|
HAF (High Abrasion Furnace)
|
26 – 30
|
General purpose rubber
|
4 – 5
|
FF (Fine Furnace)
|
31 – 48
|
Mechanical goods
|
6
|
GPF (General Purpose Furnace)
|
49 – 60
|
Carcass, industrial rubber
|
7
|
SRF (Semi-Reinforcing Furnace)
|
61 – 100
|
Gaskets, seals
|
8
|
FEF (Fine Extrusion Furnace)
|
40 – 48
|
Extruded profiles
|
9
|
MT (Medium Thermal)
|
250 – 350
|
High loading compounds
|
Second Digit: Structure Level (0-3 = Low, 4-7 = Medium, 8-9 = High)
Jetness Level |
Typical My Value |
Particle Size Range |
Primary Applications |
|---|---|---|---|
High Jetness
|
> 260
|
10 – 15 nm
|
Automotive OEM, premium coatings
|
Medium Jetness
|
230 – 260
|
15 – 20 nm
|
Automotive refinish, industrial coatings
|
Regular Color
|
200 – 230
|
20 – 30 nm
|
Architectural paints, general inks
|
Tinting / Low Color
|
< 200
|
30 – 50 nm
|
Tinting pastes, cost-sensitive applications
|
Factor |
Importance |
|---|---|
Primary Particle Size
|
Smaller particles = higher jetness but more difficult dispersion
|
Structure (DBP)
|
Higher structure = easier dispersion, higher viscosity
|
Surface Chemistry
|
Oxidized grades improve wetting in aqueous systems
|
Bead Form
|
Beaded grades reduce dust and improve handling
|
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