Carbon black is mainly used to strengthen rubber in tires, but can also act as a pigment, UV stabilizer, and conductive or insulating agent in a variety of rubber, plastic, ink and coating applications. Carbon black is essentially used in manufacturing tires, plastics, mechanical rubber goods, printing inks, and toners. It can absorb UV light and converts it into heat, hence, finds its major application in also used in insulating wires and cables.

In decorative paints, carbon black is primarily used in tinting applications for white or gray colors, but can also be used in colorful paints.

Common carbon black tire grades are N120, N234, N326, N330, N339, N351, N550, N650, N660, and LH30. Other industrial rubber applications for Carbon Black are molded and extruded products. The other 10 per cent of vCB is used for UV absorption, as a conducting agent in plastics, inks, and coatings, or as a pigment.