Carbon black is often assumed to be a stable and universal black pigment. In reality, it exhibits multiple failure modes in coatings and plastics that compromise appearance, performance, and reliability. This article explains the three most critical failure mechanisms of carbon black — blooming, migration, and unintended conductivity — and why they increasingly conflict with modern functional pigment requirements.

Carbon black is widely used as a black pigment and laser-responsive additive in coatings and plastics. However, in many modern applications, it exhibits instability that leads to performance drift, processing failures, and long-term reliability risks. This article explains *why carbon black becomes unstable*, how those instabilities manifest in real systems, and when alternative functional pigments should be considered.