Thermatomic carbon process

Thermal Decomposition. The first of these reactions involves the complete decomposition, or cracking, of natural gas into carbon and hydrogen. At present, gases high in methane are cracked to produce carbon black by the thermatomic-carbon process. The hydrogen is a by-product and is used principally for fuel. 

Thermatomic An early process for making carbon black by the incomplete combustion of natural gas. Operated in the 1920s and 1930s by the Thermatomic Carbon Company, Pittsburgh. 

Channel Black Also called Gas Black. One of the processes used to make carbon black the others are the Acetylene Black, Fumace Black, Thermal Black, and Thermatomic processes. In the Channel Black process, natural gas was incompletely burnt in small flames, which impinged on cooled channel irons that were continuously moved and scraped. Invented by L. J. McNutt in 1892 and commercialized that year in Gallagher, PA. The last United States plant was closed in 1976. 

Thermal black is made from natural gas by the thermatomic process in which methane is cracked over hot bricks at a temperature of 1,600°F (871°C) to form amorphous carbon and hydrogen. Thermal black consists of relatively coarse particles and is used principally as a pigment. A few grades (FT and MT referring to fine thermal and medium thermal) are also used in the rubber industry. 

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