a b s t r a c t
Four carbon blacks with different specific surface areas and surface chemistries (C32, C71, C159 and C178)
were analyzed by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and nitrogen adsorption isotherms at 77K.
Their surface chemistries were analyzed by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), thermal gravimetric
analysis coupled with mass spectrometry (TGA-MS) and inverse gas chromatography (IGC). The carbon
blacks contained 2.7–5.8 wt% volatiles corresponding to OH, C O, C O and COO groups. The surface
chemistry parameters obtained with the different experimental techniques were inter-related by using
chemometric statistical analysis tools. The application ofthis methodology showed thatthe carbon blacks
with lower specific surface area (C32 and C71) had basic character (electron donor) mainly due to C O
and C O groups, whereas the carbon black with the highest specific surface area (C178) showed acidic
character (acceptor electron) due to its high content of OH groups. Moreover, the total surface energy
and the dispersive component of the surface energy of the carbon blacks increased with the increase of
their specific surface area. In general the specific interactions of the carbon blacks also increased with
the increase of their specific surface area although C71 is exceptional due to higher oxygen content
corresponding to C O groups.