Carbon black (subtypes are
acetylene black,
channel black,
furnace black,
lamp black and
thermal black) is a material produced by the incomplete combustion of heavy
petroleum products such as
FCC tar,
coal tar, ethylene cracking tar, and a small amount from
vegetable oil. Carbon black is a form of
paracrystalline carbon that has a high
surface-area-to-volume ratio, albeit lower than that of
activated carbon. It is dissimilar to
soot in its much higher surface-area-to-volume ratio and significantly lower (negligible and non-bioavailable)
PAH (polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon) content. However, carbon black is widely used as a model compound for diesel soot for diesel oxidation experiments. Carbon black is mainly used as a reinforcing
filler in
tires and other rubber products. In plastics, paints, and inks carbon black is used as a color
pigment.