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 reactor temperature can be controlled through an 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 developed crystalline and secondary structure, resulting in superior conductivity and absorbency. Due to the low presence of heavy metals and other impurities, it has minimal self-discharge loss and good 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 black has a fine black powder appearance, with a relative density of 1.95 (measured 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 black has a high purity, with a carbon content greater than 99.5%, hydrogen content less than 0.1%, and oxygen content of 0.07% to 0.26%. The pH value is 5 to 7. It has a low resistivity, offering excellent electrical and thermal conductivity, as well as resistance to static effects.