Carbon black grade N330 is claimed to improve the quality of cast-in-place concrete structures.

Sabic, a global diversified chemicals company based in Saudi Arabia, has introduced a new market  solution, carbon black grade N330, for the kingdom’s building and construction industry to improve the quality of cast-in-place concrete structures that require an early drying process and provide extra strength.

Carbon black is a form of elemental carbon that is manufactured by the controlled vapour-phase pyrolysis and partial combustion of hydrocarbons.

With the inherent advantage of feedstock availability, Sabic introduced five carbon black grades in ASTM 2 and 3 series (N220, N326, N330, N339 and N375) for the first time in the GCC.

Premium concrete hollow blocks manufactured with concrete mix produced from the Sabic material provide better strength, reduce setting time and improve appearance, said the company.

The solution reduced casting time by more than 40 per cent and an increased strength by seven per cent.

Sabic carbon black grade N330 provides superior performance when blended in specific proportion with concrete and mixed with other chemicals to suit the manufacturing of precast building blocks that meet the requirement of high compressive strength as per the standards set by Saudi Standards, Metrology and Quality Organization (SASO) and GCC Standardization Organization (GSO).

Besides the newly-developed application, the material can be used for property enhancements in many end-products, said Sabic.

Successful commercial supplies to one of the major producers of concrete cement in Jeddah began in December last year.