ABSTRACT
Early attempts to characterize the morphological properties of carbon black were largely limited to optical microscopy studies. The first significant study on carbon black microstructure was carried out by B. E. Warren in 1934 using X-ray diffraction. Particle size and its distribution are probably the most important physical properties of carbon black in terms of end-use applications, even though particles do not exist as discrete entities except for thermal blacks. The first transmission electron microscope/automated image analyses (TEM/AIA) on carbon black were carried out by W. M. Hess et al employing a Quantimet B Image Analyzer for the measurement of aggregate images on photographic prints. One of the important aspects of TEM/AIA is the fact that discrete images in a large field are measured separately; therefore, good dispersions are of the utmost importance. The first high resolution phase contrast images of carbon black were obtained on the more ordered heat treated samples.
