Effect of benzene–acetylene compositions on carbon black configurations produced by benzene pyrolysis

A mixture of benzene and acetylene is pyrolyzed in an inert atmosphere to investigate the influence of the benzene–acetylene composition on the configurations of carbon black. The effects of benzene concentration, acetylene concentration, and furnace temperature on the mean primary particle diameter and the aggregate shape in carbon black are investigated. When the acetylene concentration is varied and the benzene concentration is made constant, aggregate shapes become complex with an increase in acetylene concentration. However, in the case where the acetylene concentration is greater than that of the benzene concentration, the variation of aggregate shapes is small with increasing acetylene concentration. The results of this study suggest that nucleation has progressed and aggregate shapes appear complicated when the ratio of the benzene concentration to the acetylene concentration is appropriate (in this study, the ratio is 2:1) and the furnace temperature is high. However, when the benzene or acetylene concentration is high, and the furnace temperature is low, aggregate shapes are simplified because of the formation of small polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), which contributes to surface growth.

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• Aggregate shapes become complex with an increase in acetylene concentration.
• The number flow rate increases with an increase in furnace temperature.
• The mean primary diameter decreases with an increase in furnace temperature.
• The shapes most complicate when benzene–acetylene concentration ratio is about 2:1.