Acetylene carbon black is a high-purity acetylene obtained through the decomposition of by-products from calcium carbide or naphtha (crude gasoline) pyrolysis, followed by continuous pyrolysis to produce the carbon black. After the reactor is heated to the starting temperature of acetylene decomposition, which is above 800°C, acetylene is introduced to begin the thermal decomposition process. As it is an exothermic reaction, it can proceed automatically. To maintain consistent quality, the reaction temperature should be kept around 1800°C. The internal reactor temperature can be controlled through the water-cooled jacket surrounding the reactor exterior. Acetylene carbon black is used as an anode material in manganese dry batteries, along with manganese dioxide and electrolyte. Compared to furnace carbon black, it has a more developed crystalline and secondary structure, resulting in better conductivity and absorbency. Due to the low presence of heavy metals and other impurities, the loss caused by self-discharge is minimal, and its storage performance is excellent. Acetylene black almost dominates the market and is expected to continue with the demand for dry batteries in the future.

Acetylene black has a fine black powder appearance, with a relative density of 1.95 (determined by the nitrogen displacement method). Its apparent density is 0.2 to 0.3 g/cm³. The average particle size is 30 to 45 nm. The specific surface area is 55 to 70 m²/g. The iodine adsorption value is 60 to 80 gI2/kg. Acetylene black has a high purity, containing over 99.5% carbon, less than 0.1% hydrogen, and 0.07% to 0.26% oxygen. The pH value is between 5 and 7. It has a low resistivity, exhibiting excellent electrical and thermal conductivity, and is not prone to static effects.