Abstract

In this study, a broad range of furnace carbon blacks from very low to very high structure and fineness were evaluated for compressed void volume, colloidal and in-rubber properties. Compressed void volume measurements were investigated over applied pressures of approximately 18–159 MPa using a commercially available instrument. The void volume data was statistically modeled using logarithmic pressure curves, exponential energy curves and an inverse variable root curve. Parameters generated from the void volume models were analyzed using advanced non-linear multiple regression resulting in strong relationships to crushed oil absorption numbers and in-rubber properties. A comparison of void volume and oil absorption numbers indicates the void volume method offers a significant improvement in describing carbon black structure. The relationship between void volume and parameters related to rubber reinforcement found in this work is a confirmation that compressed void volume is more specific to primary structure than oil absorption numbers. Compressed void volume should provide the carbon black industry a faster, more meaningful and lower cost structure characterization than oil absorption methods.