Nanometric carbon black

Using nanometric carbon black and pm-sized boron oxide, nanometric boron carbide powder with an average particle size of 20 nm can be produced at temperatures as low as 1300 °C [138]. A nanometric-scale boron carbide powder (20-40 nm) has been produced in a plasma-assisted reaction process using boron oxide and a carbon source, whereby the reactants are vaporized in the plasma, thus leading to a reaction of atomized species [139]. 

This filler aggregation during the processing, observed with nanometric particles (carbon black) or micronic ones (metallic or carbon sphere), leads to a very difficult reproducibility of the material. Different approaches have been proposed to overcome these drawbacks. 

Particle diameters can range from less than 20 nm in some furnace grades to a few hundred nanometres in thermal blacks. A discrete rigid colloidal entity of coalesced particles is the smallest dispersible unit of CB. Carbon black particle size and structure comparison are show on Figures 6.9 and 6.10. 

Several types of conductive nanomaterials have been explored in the constraction of BFCs, and a large emphasis has been placed on carbon materials with nanometric dimensions. Specifically, carbon black nanomaterials (CBNs), graphene, and carbon nanotubes (CNTs) have been used to constmct bio-nano interfaces with the intent to optimize ET processes. In this section, these three nanostmctured carbon materials will be briefly discussed, followed by two archetypal carbon assemblies that approach hierarchical stmctures CNT-decorated porous carbon architectures and buckypaper (BP). 

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