
- lightness in weight (creating high volume)
- small particle size.
- resistance to wetting (because the particles float and, therefore, need a dispersion agent)
- fatness (giving them a natural gloss)
- transparency or semitransparency.
- high tinting strength.
What are the characteristics of a pigment?
Pigments are organic or inorganic, colored, white or black materials that are practically insoluble in the medium in which they are dispersed. They are distinct particles, which gives the medium their color and opacity. The smallest units are called primary particles.
What factors influence the color strength of a pigment?
It is one of the factors that influence the color strength of a pigment. In organic pigments, color strength depends on the ability to absorb certain wavelengths of light. Highly conjugated molecules and highly aromatic ones show increased color strength.
What are the major performance properties of pigments in plastics?
Major performance properties of pigments in plastics are decided by their weatherability or aging, light fastness, warping or nucleation and transparency. Exposure to sunlight and some artificial lights can have adverse effects on the useful life of plastic products.

What is use of pigment?
Pigments are the compounds added to materials to give them color. This deceptively simple application has shaped our perception of the world via art, fashion, and even computer displays and medicine. Pigments are used in paints, inks, plastics, fabrics, cosmetics, and food.
What are the components of pigment?
These are compounds containing structures of carbon atoms with hydrogen atoms attached that are formed in closed rings. Organic pigments include azo pigments, which contain a nitrogen group; they account for most of the organic red, orange, and yellow pigments.
What is pigment material?
A pigment is a colored material that is completely or nearly insoluble in water. In contrast, dyes are typically soluble, at least at some stage in their use. Generally dyes are often organic compounds whereas pigments are often inorganic compounds.
What is pigment and types of pigment?
Inorganic pigments include white opaque pigments which are commonly used to lighten other colours and also to provide opacity. Two other types of pigments are metallic pigments and industrial pigments. Metallic pigments, as implied in the name, include metal pigments such as zinc and aluminium pigments.
What are examples of pigments?
Chlorophyll, which gives a green color to plants, and hemoglobin, which gives blood its red color, are examples of pigments. A substance, such as chlorophyll or melanin, that produces a characteristic color in plant or animal tissue.
What are the different types of pigments?
Major plant pigments and their occurrencePigmentCommon typesChlorophyllsChlorophyllCarotenoidsCarotenes and xanthophylls (e.g. astaxanthin)FlavonoidsAnthocyanins, aurones, chalcones, flavonols and proanthocyanidinsBetalainsBetacyanins and betaxanthins
What are the requirements of a pigment?
Pigments are colorants different from dyes. A binder is required to help pigments disperse. They are either organic or inorganic. Being a solid, pigment color, and durability are just some of the requirements needed when designing a pigment.
What are the 4 pigments?
4.4. 2 Natural colorants from plant sources. Plant pigments are classified into four main categories: chlorophylls, anthocyanins, carotenoids, and betalains. They account for most of the naturally derived colors from plants.
What is pigment strength?
The tinting strength of a colour is determined by the type of pigment, the amount of pigment and the fineness of the grinding. The finer the pigment has been ground, the higher the tinting strength. The higher the tinting strength of a paint, the longer it will conserve its colour by mixing with white.
How many pigments are there?
There are three types of pigments present in the leaves of plants, and their retention or production determines the colors of leaves before they fall from , molecules, beyond the simple chemical formulas that describe the numbers of atoms of different elements making up the molecule.
What is the chemical name for pigment?
Pigment yellow 3PubChem CID94326StructureFind Similar StructuresChemical SafetyLaboratory Chemical Safety Summary (LCSS) DatasheetMolecular FormulaC16H12Cl2N4O4SynonymsPigment yellow 3 6486-23-3 C.I. Pigment Yellow 3 Yellow pigment PigmentYellow3 More...2 more rows
What are the three primary colors of pigments?
colorimetry. The three additive primary colours are red, green, and blue; this means that, by additively mixing the colours red, green, and blue in varying amounts, almost all other colours can be produced, and, when the three primaries are added together in equal amounts, white is produced.
How many types of pigments are there?
two typesThere are basically two types of pigments and they are: Inorganic pigments. Organic pigments.
How many pigments are there?
There are three types of pigments present in the leaves of plants, and their retention or production determines the colors of leaves before they fall from , molecules, beyond the simple chemical formulas that describe the numbers of atoms of different elements making up the molecule.
What is the relationship between pigments and light?
The appearance of pigments is intimately connected to the color of the source light. This physical process differs from fluorescence, phosphorescence, and other forms of luminescence, in which a material emits light. Many materials selectively absorb certain wavelengths of light.
What is fugitive pigment?
Pigments that are not permanent are called fugitive. Fugitive pigments fade over time, or with exposure to light, while some eventually blacken. Pigments are used for coloring paint, ink, plastic, fabric, cosmetics, food and other materials.
What is a pigment that is not permanent called?
For industrial applications, as well as in the arts, permanence and stability are desirable properties. Pigments that are not permanent are called fugitive.
How are pigments applied?
They are applied by using dispersion in a suitable medium. Generally, pigment retain essentially their particulate or crystalline form during application. A pigment is a material that changes the color of reflected or transmitted light as the result of wavelength-selective absorption.
What is pigment in water?
What is Pigment? The colored substance which is insoluble in water or other solvents is called a pigment. Thus the application of dye and pigment will be different. A dye is applied in the form of a solution, whereas the pigment is applied in the form of a paste in a drying oil, in which it is insoluble. Pigments are insoluble powders of very fine ...
Is pigment a chemical?
Pigment should be chemically inert. Pigment should have good resistance to chemicals. Pigment should be resistance to solvent. Pigment should have acceptable brilliance, hardness and stability on dyed and printed goods. Pigment should have good wet, light, and abrasion resistance.
Do pigments absorb light?
Many materials selectively absorb certain wavelengths of light. Materials that humans have chosen and developed for use as pigments usually have special properties that make them ideal for coloring other materials. A pigment must have a high tinting strength relative to the materials it colors.
What are Pigments?
A pigment is a kind of white, black or coloured fine powdery substance which is insoluble in mediums such as water or oil. Color Pigments are used in the production of many items like paint, coatings, etc and also in other industries.
Properties of Pigments
Now you know about the different types of color pigments. These organic and inorganic pigments have various properties depending on various aspects. Below given the properties of pigments.
What is pigment in biology?
In biology, a pigment is any colored material of plant or animal cells. Many biological structures, such as skin, eyes, fur, and hair contain pigments (such as melanin ). Animal skin coloration often comes about through specialized cells called chromatophores, which animals such as the octopus and chameleon can control to vary the animal's color. Many conditions affect the levels or nature of pigments in plant, animal, some protista, or fungus cells. For instance, the disorder called albinism affects the level of melanin production in animals.
What is pigment in science?
Jump to navigation Jump to search. Colored material. Pigments for sale at a market stall in Goa, India. A pigment is a colored material that is completely or nearly insoluble in water. In contrast, dyes are typically soluble, at least at some stage in their use.
What are the ISO standards for pigments?
The principal ISO standards that relate to all pigments are as follows: ISO-787 General methods of test for pigments and extenders. ISO-8780 Methods of dispersion for assessment of dispersion characteristics.
Where did blue pigments come from?
A favored blue pigment was derived from lapis lazuli. Pigments based on minerals and clays often bear the name of the city or region where they were originally mined. Raw Sienna and Burnt Sienna came from Siena, Italy, while Raw Umber and Burnt Umber came from Umbria.
What are the physical principles of spectroscopy?
Physical principles. Main article: Spectroscopy. A wide variety of wavelengths (colors) encounter a pigment. This pigment absorbs red and green light, but reflects blue—creating the color blue. Like all materials, the color of pigments arises because they absorb only certain wavelengths of visible light. The bonding properties of the material ...
What color did Tintoretto use?
The son of a master dyer, Tintoretto used Carmine Red Lake pigment , derived from the cochineal insect, to achieve dramatic color effects. Self Portrait by Paul Cézanne. Working in the late 19th century, Cézanne had a much broader palette of colors than his predecessors.
How much is the pigment industry worth?
According to an April 2018 report by Bloomberg Businessweek, the estimated value of the pigment industry globally is $30 billion. The value of titanium dioxide – used to enhance the white brightness of many products – was placed at $13.2 billion per year, while the color Ferrari red is valued at $300 million each year.
How do pigments work?
How Pigments Work. Pigments selectively absorb wavelengths of light. When white light strikes a pigment molecule, there are different processes that can lead to absorption. Conjugated systems of double bonds absorb light in some organic pigments. Inorganic pigments may absorb light by electron transfer.
Why do pigments appear a certain color?
Anne Marie Helmenstine, Ph.D. Updated October 20, 2019. A pigment is a substance that appears a certain color because it selectively absorbs wavelength of light. While many materials possess this property, pigments with practical applications are stable at normal temperatures and have a high tinting strength so only ...
What is pigment science?
Helmenstine holds a Ph.D. in biomedical sciences and is a science writer, educator, and consultant. She has taught science courses at the high school, college, and graduate levels. A pigment is a substance that appears a certain color because it selectively absorbs wavelength of light.
What is a pigment?
in biomedical sciences and is a science writer, educator, and consultant. She has taught science courses at the high school, college, and graduate levels. A pigment is a substance that appears a certain color because it selectively absorbs wavelength of light. While many materials possess this property, pigments ...
Why won't pigments appear in the same color under fluorescent light?
So, for example, a pigment won't appear quite the same color under sunlight as it would under fluorescent lighting because a different range of wavelengths are left to be reflected or scattered. When the color of a pigment is represented, the lab light color used to take the measurement must be stated.
What is the color index?
The Colour Index International (CII) is a published standard index that identifies each pigment according to its chemical composition.
How is white lead made?
White lead was made by mixing lead and vinegar in the presence of carbon dioxide. Egyptian blue (calcium copper silicate) came from glass colored using malachite or another copper ore. As more and more pigments were developed, it became impossible to keep track of their composition.
What is the third pigment geometry?
Much less common than either of the two lamellar geometries, pigments with a spherical shape provide a different type of aesthetic appearance. These pigments provide much less opacity due to their lower surface area. Light reflected from the polished surfaces of aluminum pigments with a spherical shape produce a pinpoint sparkle effect. The combination of low opacity and pinpoint sparkle produce a shimmering reflectance giving the appearance of depth to transparent polymers.
Why are aluminum shades used?
Since light is reflected but not transmitted by aluminum pigments, they are often used to impart opacity to polymers. Typical aluminum pigments have a lamellar geometry which maximizes their surface area. Due to the opaque nature of aluminum metal and the high surface area of the lamellar pigment particle, aluminum pigments are capable of building high opacity at low loading levels. Light blocking window shades are often made by laminating a thin opaque aluminum pigmented film between the visible outer layers of the window shade.
Why is aluminum used in film?
Due to the natural ability of aluminum metal to reflect light and the lamellar shape of the aluminum pigment particle, aluminum pigments are often used to impart reflective properties to blown film. Aluminum pigmented blown film is commonly used in agricultural applications to reflect sunlight back onto plants with the effect of improving crop yield.
What pigments are used in plastics?
get more easily dispersed in the resin. Amongst the inorganic pigments titanium dioxide is the most widely used pigment in the plastics industry.
What is the white pigment in plastic?
White pigment in plastics is mainly derived from Titanium Dioxide. TiO 2 is widely used for its efficiency in scattering visible light, and imparting whiteness, brightness, and high opacity when incorporated into a plastic formulation.
What does light fastness mean?
Light Fastness is a measure of the color fastness of a plastic article when used in indoor applications (UV light exposure without direct Water contact) If a pigment has good Light Fastness, it does not always mean that it has good weather fastness.
What is glitter effect?
The Glitter effect is a bright metallic appearance with coarse grain sparkles. The appearance is very similar to that obtained when using chopped foil pigments in the 50 X 50 micron to 400 X 400 micron range. The Glitter effect is often used to enhance the three dimensional appearance of an object by using a low enough concentration of metallic pigment to maintain some polymer transparency. The Glitter effect can be made even more appealing by adding color with transparent pigments or dyes.
What are the characteristics of organic pigments?
Organic pigments tend to have the following characteristics: 1 lightness in weight (creating high volume) 2 small particle size 3 resistance to wetting (because the particles float and, therefore, need a dispersion agent) 4 fatness (giving them a natural gloss) 5 transparency or semitransparency 6 high tinting strength 7 mass tones that create intense tints when mixed with white (causing them to stay high key unless a complement is added, and creating less-natural light effects) 8 warm-to-cool shift within a family 9 good-to-excellent lightfast ratings
What is a mass tones that gray down when mixed with white?
mass tones that gray down when mixed with white (creating more natural light effects) light-to-dark shift within a family. high lightfast rating. Exceptions include Prussian blue and viridian—both are inorganic pigments that have high tinting strengths and small particle sizes.
What is high tinting strength?
high tinting strength. mass tones that create intense tints when mixed with white (causing them to stay high key unless a complement is added, and creating less-natural light effects) warm-to-cool shift within a family. good-to-excellent lightfast ratings.

Overview
Physical principles
Like all materials, the color of pigments arises because they absorb only certain wavelengths of visible light. The bonding properties of the material determine the wavelength and efficiency of light absorption. Light of other wavelengths are reflected or scattered. The reflected light spectrum defines the color that we observe.
Economic impact
In 2006, around 7.4 million tons of inorganic, organic, and special pigments were marketed worldwide. Estimated at around US$14.86 billion in 2018 and will rise at over 4.9% CAGR from 2019 to 2026. The global demand for pigments was roughly US$20.5 billion in 2009. According to an April 2018 report by Bloomberg Businessweek, the estimated value of the pigment industry globally is $30 billion. The value of titanium dioxide – used to enhance the white brightness of m…
History
Minerals have been used as colorants since prehistoric times. Early humans used paint for aesthetic purposes such as body decoration. Pigments and paint grinding equipment believed to be between 350,000 and 400,000 years old have been reported in a cave at Twin Rivers, near Lusaka, Zambia. Ochre, iron oxide, was the first color of paint. A favored blue pigment was derived from lapis lazuli. …
Manufacturing and industrial standards
Before the development of synthetic pigments, and the refinement of techniques for extracting mineral pigments, batches of color were often inconsistent. With the development of a modern color industry, manufacturers and professionals have cooperated to create international standards for identifying, producing, measuring, and testing colors.
Figures of merit
The following are some of the attributes of pigments that determine their suitability for particular manufacturing processes and applications:
• Lightfastness and sensitivity for damage from ultraviolet light
• Heat stability
• Toxicity
Swatches
Swatches are used to communicate colors accurately. The types of swatches are dictated by the media, i.e., printing, computers, plastics, and textiles. Generally, the medium that offers the broadest gamut of color shades is widely used across diverse media.
Reference standards are provided by printed swatches of color shades. PANTONE, RAL, Munsell, etc. are widely used standards of color communication across diverse media like printing, plasti…
Biological pigments
In biology, a pigment is any colored material of plant or animal cells. Many biological structures, such as skin, eyes, fur, and hair contain pigments (such as melanin). Animal skin coloration often comes about through specialized cells called chromatophores, which animals such as the octopus and chameleon can control to vary the animal's color. Many conditions affect the levels or nature of pigments in plant, animal, some protista, or fungus cells. For instance, the disorder called albini…