Nanostructure Quantification of Carbon Blacks

Abstract

Carbon blacks are an extensively used manufactured product. There exist different grades by which the carbon black is classified, based on its purpose and end use. Different properties inherent to the various carbon black types are a result of their production processes. Based on the combustion condition and fuel used, each process results in a carbon black separate from those obtained from other processes. These carbons differ in their aggregate morphology, particle size, and particle nanostructure. Nanostructure is key in determining the material’s behavior in bulk form. A variety of carbon blacks have been analyzed and quantified for their lattice parameters and structure at the nanometer scale, using transmission electron microscopy and custom-developed fringe analysis algorithms, to illustrate differences in nanostructure and their potential relation to observed material properties.