Carbon black has now replaced azo dyes as the preferred black pigment in coatings

Mr Amit Choudhary, Chairman of the International Advisory Committee, Asia Pacific Carbon Black Conference 2024, and Executive Director of Himadri Speciality Chemical Limited in a chat with C&ACER

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The 15th edition of the Asia Pacific Carbon Black Conference has evolved into an instrumental force in the carbon black industry. Over the past three decades, the conference has traversed the Asia-Pacific region, with events held in Taipei (1995), Phuket (1997), Tokyo (1999), Gold Coast (2001), Agra (2003), Suzhou (2005), Seoul (2007), Bangkok (2009), Singapore (2011), Taipei (2013), Yokohama (2015), Chennai (2017) and Bangkok (2019). Each conference served as a nexus. The 15th edition in Kolkata in October 2024 was a testament to the conference's significance in promoting thought leadership, driving growth, and facilitating collaboration in the global carbon black realm.

Carbon black is a conductive fillers or additives used in cathodic protection systems. In these systems, black carbon's conductive properties help distribute electrical current, which is used to prevent oxidation (and thus corrosion) of metal surfaces.

Mr Amit Choudhary, Chairman of the International Advisory Committee, Asia Pacific Carbon Black Conferencce 2024, and Executive Director of Himadri Speciality Chemical Limited in a chat with C&ACER.

How is black carbon related to the coatings and corrosion mitigation sectors?

Previously, the coating industry commonly used azo dyes to achieve black pigmentation. However, recent findings have linked azo dyes to carcinogenic properties, leading to a shift away from their use. Carbon black has now replaced azo dyes as the preferred black pigment in coatings. Unlike azo dyes, which can degrade under high UV exposure causing color fading and increasing corrosion-carbon black is a stable element that does not dissociate. It offers durable protection against corrosion without fading, making it a more reliable choice for longterm applications.