Why are gramophone records black, and are there no white/blue/red…?

Gramophone record is a plastic, black color comes from carbon black. Why not plastic with titanium dioxide, or with red or blue pigments?

Asker: Roxanne, 32 years old

Answer

Carbon black is used because it protects against aging, which is the reason for adding carbon black. The LPs are black, but it wasn’t about being black, the color is secondary. There are also LPs in other colors, very rarely, these are special editions that want to stand out from the rest. At best, these are ‘stabilized against ageing’ with other additives that don’t affect the color.

Many greetings, Karine

Answered by

dr.ing. Karine Van Doorsselaer

Materials Theory Processing Techniques Ecology

Why are gramophone records black, and are there no white/blue/red…?

University of Antwerp
Prinsstraat 13 2000 Antwerp
http://www.uantwerpen.be

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