Tokai plans 2027 launch for eco carbon black pilot plant

Tokai Carbon Co. is advancing its efforts in the carbon materials sector with plans to initiate a pilot plant for secondary processing of recovered carbon black (rCB) by the end of 2027. This initiative is part of a collaborative program with Bridgestone Corporation and Japanese academic institutions, aiming to produce 'eco Carbon Black' (eCB).

According to Tokai's annual report dated 1 September, the pilot plant is expected to be operational by 2027, focusing on producing eCB, an enhanced rCB material with reinforcement properties comparable to virgin carbon black. This pilot plant is a precursor to a larger demonstration facility projected to produce 5 kilotonnes of eCB annually by fiscal 2032.

The development of this technology is a joint effort with Bridgestone Corp., Kyushu University, and Okayama University, supported by Japan's New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organisation (NEDO). The initial goal is to develop technology suitable for general-purpose carbon black, with plans to expand eCB into high-reinforcement grades for added value.

A significant technical challenge is the removal of impurities from rCB, which is obtained through the pyrolysis of end-of-life tires. Taishi Kiriyama, acting section chief at Tokai Carbon's Chita laboratory, emphasized the difficulty of this task, noting that the secondary processing technology is crucial for achieving the desired performance properties in tire raw materials.