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 purification. It is produced by pyrolyzing acetylene after continuous pyrolysis to obtain the carbon black. The reactor is heated to a temperature above 800°C, the starting temperature for acetylene decomposition, before introducing acetylene for pyrolysis. 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 temperature of the reactor can be controlled through the external water-cooled jacket. Acetylene carbon black is used as an anode material in manganese dry batteries, along with manganese dioxide and electrolyte. Compared to furnace 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, it has minimal self-discharge loss and excellent storage properties. Acetylene black dominates the market almost entirely. It is predictable that it will continue to grow with the demand for dry batteries.

Acetylene carbon black has a fine black powder appearance, with a relative density of 1.95 (by nitrogen displacement method). The 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 carbon 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, offering excellent conductivity, thermal conductivity, and resistance to static effects.