M. Graham Artists' Acrylics - Prussian Blue, 2 oz tube

Pigment Information

This color contains the following pigments:

PV37-Dioxazine Violet

PB15:3-Phthalo Blue

Pigment Name

PV37-Dioxazine Violet

Pigment Type

organic

Chemical Name

carbazole dioxazine

Properties

Dioxazine Violet is transparent and has very high tinting strength. Concentrated, it paints out nearly black, but it mixes with Titanium White to form birght, opaque tints of purple. PV37 produces slightly grayer tints than PV23.

Permanence

Dioxazine Violet has good lightfastness. PV37 is considered slightly more lightfast than PV23.

History

Two molecular variants of Dioxazine Violet, PV23 and PV37, are available. They have similar properties, but mix slightly differently.

Pigment Name

PB15:3-Phthalo Blue

Pigment Type

organic

Chemical Name

beta copper phthalocyanine

Chemical Formula

C32H16CuN8

Properties

Phthalo Blue PB15:3 is a structural variant of Phthalo Blue PB15 that produces more greenish tones.

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.