Cabot highlights new conductive carbon blacks at K 2013

ERJ staff report (BC)

Boston, Massachusetts –New Vulcan Xcmax series carbon blacks from Cabot Corporation are intended to meet the requirements of applications in wire and cable, antistatic flooring and safety systems, automotive fuel tanks and inlets, coatings, electronics and electrical products.

These applications, says Cabot, require materials (whether plastics, natural rubbers, silicone rubbers or thermoplastic elastomers) to be conductive or dissipative at relatively low carbon black loadings. Fulfilling this requirement makes for stable mechanical properties in the underlying polymer.

While the plastics market is driving the growth and development of Vulcan Xcmax, says Cabot, there are many synergies between the plastics market on the one hand and rubbers and elastomers on the other. The company is already promoting Vulcan Xcmax carbon blacks in these markets.

One key to success here, says Cabot, is to achieve the same functionality in elastomers as in plastics while not interfering with curing and cross-linking processes. For example, for silicone elastomers used in cable junctions and accessories, Cabot is developing additional products in the Vulcan Xcmax series which do not affect platinum or peroxide cure chemistries.