Carbon　black　(CB)　was　prepared　via　arc　discharge　non-thermal　plasma　which　was　enhanced　by　thermal　pyrolysis　process,　in　which　propane　was　cracked　into　CB　with　controlled　structure　and　hydrogen.　Argon　was　also　introduced　along　with　the　propane.　Detailed　parameters　like　discharge　current,　argon　flow　rate,　propane　flow　rate　and　cracking　temperature　were　discussed　in　order　to　obtain　optimal　conditions　for　generating　CB　with　high　productivity,　yield　and　well　developed　structure.　The　morphology　of　CB　was　characterized　by　scanning　and　transmission　electron　microscopy.　X-ray　diffraction,　X-ray　photoelectron　spectroscopy,　Raman　spectroscopy　and　BET　surface　area　analysis　were　used　to　analyze　the　structure　of　CB.　The　results　showed　that　the　yield　of　CB　could　be　85.9%　under　optimal　operating　conditions;　the　spherical　CB　produced　by　this　process　possessed　a　narrow　size　distribution.　Thermal　pyrolysis　began　to　significantly　serve　above　500　°C,　and　the　yield　under　700　°C　was　higher　than　that　of　plasma　process　without　electrical　heating　assistance.　Resistivity　of　the　CB　was　decreased　with　increasing　discharge　current　and　pyrolysis　temperature.　Mechanism　of　CB　formation　in　our　process　was　assumed　according　to　experimental　phenomenon　and　the　widely　accepted　formation　mechanism　of　furnace-type　CB.　©　2015　Elsevier　B.V.　All　rights　reserved.