additives feature | Conductive carbon blacks
Conductivity of compounds based on AkzoNobel Ketjenblack compared to Standard black
Component
EBA Co-polymer KB-EC 300J KB-EC 600JD
Standard EC Black Weight black (%)
Ketjenblack EC-300J 95 92
5 5 8 8
90 10
10 Volume resistivity (Ω.cm) 14,900 120 29
carbon blacks, and also examining the potential for graphene, at the upcoming Compounding World Forum in Philadelphia on 9-10 December (details at
http://bit.ly/CWF14B). “Conductive carbon blacks are a strength at Cabot
and an area where we have made investments,” notes George Haines, global segment manager – plastics. Cabot introduced Vulcan XCmax highly conductive carbon black late last year. This percolates at very low loadings, maintaining the mechanical properties of the polymer and having a lower impact on density, Haines points out. “Since that time, we have tested XCmax carbon blacks successfully in a range of polymers including not only polyolefi ns but also engineering polymers such as various types of polyamides, acetal and polycarbonate in addition to TPEs and TPUs,” he says. “We’re quite excited about its development. “Longer term, we will continue to invest in adding
new products to the XCmax family as well as the application of graphenes in plastics which offer much of the same functionality such as conductivity (thermal and electrical) and reinforcement but also barrier properties and EMI shielding. In fact, we are still learning what it can do. Fundamentally, though, it can offer these properties at extremely low loadings, so that may be a game changer.” Orion Engineered Carbons (what used to be Evonik`s
Ketjenblack EC-600JD 97 95.5 94
3 3 572 4.5
4.5 57
6 6 33
10 10
2.7 x 1010
15 15 52
Carbon Black business until 2011) is another major offering a variety of conductive specialty carbon black grades for polymer applications. The newest addition to this series, now being trialled with customers, is XPB 552, described as a high quality, regular grade. “XPB 552 imparts conductivity and anti-static
properties to polymers for electronics packaging and for auto body parts that require conductivity to hold coatings,” says Bhuvanesh Yerigeri, technical market manager for specialty carbon blacks in the NAFTA region. Other potential applications are conductive engi- neering polymers and wire and cable. Already available is XPB 538, an extra-conductive specialty grade. Produced with Orion Engineered Carbons’ proprietary furnace technology, it can achieve higher conductivity at lower loading levels than regular grades. It has a very high specifi c surface area and porosity designed to achieve maximum conductivity. “Its purity, ready incorporation and ease of dispersion make it particularly suited for many critical applications,” the company claims. “These attributes are rapidly becoming standard requirements in many different industries. XPB 538 is particularly suitable for lithium-ion battery and wire and cable applications,” the company adds. “In addition, it can replace regular conductive grades in engineered conductive plastics, where it improves compound processability and offers better retention of mechanical and engineering properties.”
Imerys Graphite & Carbon, formerly Timcal Graphite & Carbon, highlights the advantages of its conductive carbon blacks too. To make its Ensaco 250G and other specialty conductive grades, it uses a proprietary production process different from the furnace process most widely used.
Compounding temperature of AkzoNobel Ketjenblack EC compared to standard EC black
30 COMPOUNDING WORLD | November 2014
Christine Van Bellingen, product manager for carbon black and graphite for polymers, says that the process delivers what she claims is a unique combination of high structure and low surface area. By contrast, the furnace process delivers high surface area with high structure, or low surface area at low structure levels. The Imerys process is claimed to guarantee high dispersibility of the conductive carbon black in plastics, and a consequent good retention of mechanical and fl ow properties.
www.compoundingworld.com
Standard EC Black 90
85
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