Holbein Duo Aqua Water Soluble Oils - Manganese Blue Nova, 40 ml tube

Pigment Information

This color contains the following pigments:

PB15-Phthalo Blue

PB28-Cobalt Blue

Pigment Name

PB15-Phthalo Blue

Pigment Type

organic

Chemical Name

copper phthalocyanine

Chemical Formula

C32H16CuN8

Properties

Phthalo Blues are pure and clean primary blues with superior covering power. They have a very high tinting strength and tend to overwhelm other pigments, but if color strength can be controlled, they make predictable mixed colors. In oil form, blues are very deep and slow drying. When mixed with other colors or if chlorine is added, Phthalo Blue quickly tends towards green. When using alone, mix with some white, as Phthalo Blue can be semi-transparent and almost black on its own. It is among the most compatible of modern colors with mineral colors and is considered more reliable than Prussian Blue, while sharing the same physical and color properties. Phthalo Blue is a good color for glazing.

Permanence

Phthalo Blues are completely lightfast and stable and are permanent for all paint uses. They are currently used in inks, coatings, and many plastics due to their stability and are considered a standard pigment in printing ink and the packaging industry.

Toxicity

Phthalo Blues have no significant hazards, although those made before 1982 contained some PCBs (polychlorinated biphenyls).

History

Developed by chemists using the trade name Monastral Blue, the organic blue dyestuff now known as Phthalo Blue was presented as a pigment in November 1935 in London. Its discovery was accidental. The dark color was observed in a kettle where a dye was being made from a British dyestuff plant. The demand for such a pigment came from commercial printers who wanted a cyan to replace Prussian Blue.

Pigment Name

PB28-Cobalt Blue

Pigment Type

inorganic

Chemical Name

cobalt(II) oxide + aluminum oxide

Chemical Formula

CoO + Al2O3

Properties

Cobalt blue is a semitransparent pigment with low to moderate tinting strength. When it dries, it appears lighter and less saturated. Pigment particles are large and grainy. Differences in how the pigment is ground and mixed lead to considerable differences in its performance among various manufacturers.

Permanence

Cobalt blue is absolutely lightfast and extraordinarily stable. The stability of cobalt salts at high temperatures make them the standard for blues used in ceramics and glassware.

Toxicity

Cobalt salts are toxic. Avoid respiratory and skin contact. Soluble cobalt may cause irritation and allergic reaction through contact with skin. It is considered a possible carcinogen.

History

Since ancient times, smalt blue has been used to color glass and ceramics. Cobalt salts, which give smalt its characteristic blue color, were identified in the 18th century. Techniques for manufacturing Cobalt Blue, a chemically pure salt of cobalt and aluminum oxide, were developed in 1802.