Carbon black is produced by the thermal decomposition method or the partial combustion method using hydrocarbons such as oil or natural gas as raw material. Carbon black is available as powder or beads. The characteristics and properties of carbon black vary depending on the manufacturing process; hence, carbon black is classified by its manufacturing process. Different processes used for manufacturing carbon black are the furnace black process, acetylene black process, lampblack process, etc. The furnace black process is the most common method used for carbon black manufacturing.
Waste tires are becoming a major environmental, economic, and technical challenge as they have a high content of combustible components and the potential to offer valuable materials and energy resources. In recent years, a variety of waste tire management methods have been adopted and applied across the world, including other important alternative methods for end-of-life tire management defined in 3R: reduction, reuse, and recycling to minimize damage. The European Union collects ~3.1 million metric tons of used tires every year. The tire industry is the largest consumer of virgin carbon black in the EU as it consumes ~1.6 million metric tons of the same annually, accounting for ~73% of total demand. The production of 0.8 metric tons of carbon black requires 1.4–1.8 metric tons of oil and releases ~2.3–2.7 metric tons of CO2. In addition to petroleum, natural gas, and steel, recycled carbon black is used as a key material in the production of tires, conveyor belts, and rubber parts; it is also used in the production of paints in some cases. By reusing tires, it is possible to reduce CO2 emissions, thereby aiding in adoption of waste tire management. Thus, emphasis on waste tire management is expected to give rise to several key trends bound to impact the carbon black market growth in the coming years.
A few players operating in the carbon black market are HiiROC Ltd; Black Bear Carbon BV; Imerys SA; Cabot Corp; Tokai Carbon Co Ltd; Orion Engineered Carbons SA; China Synthetic Rubber Corp; among few others.
