Biochar End Uses - Oral Presentation
Replacement of carbon black with biochar in rubber composite materials
Steve Peterson
USDA-ARS-NCAUR

Carbon black has been the dominant reinforcing filler for rubber composites for over a century. Because it comes from petroleum, it’s not sustainable, and dependence on petroleum-producing countries can lead to geopolitical risk. Since biochar is a sustainable, domestically-produced resource, I have spent over a decade studying the most efficient ways we can replace carbon black with biochar as rubber composite filler. In this talk I will summarize some of the most important discoveries of biochar as rubber composite filler, and where we’re headed in the near future.