Paints and Pigments and Their Elements
Published by Paints and pigments and what elements they are made out of. some may shock you.
There are many pigments and paints that are used in this world, and the origional colors came from various elements found in nature. most paints and pigments used nowadays are acryllic, but there are many others that still use a few conventional methods for coloring things. here are a few of the pigments that are used.
Titanium (22) – usually used in hip replacements it is also known as the universal white pigment. It is used in just about every paint besides black. They are also a common occurrence in drill bits.
Chromium (24) – This element is known for its use in making things shiny, usually used in car manufacturing and stainless steel. Only a microscopic layer of it is used though. When oxidized chromium makes a pigment, yes, you guessed it, GREEN!
Cobalt (27) – often used to make insulators is usually remembered by the name “Cobalt blue”, which is what happens when trace amounts of Cobalt are added in glass making. But what may surprise you is the pigment that is made from Cobalt, and no, it is not a blue, it is a vivid purple! This is called Cobalt violet, though you can make cerulean blue and Cobalt green from this element.
Image via Wikipedia
Arsenic (33) – This element usually has a deadly name for being… well… deadly! It is also renowned for being used in rat poison. And until a bit ago, was used in wall-paper in England, which killed people if it got damp. This pigment that is associated with arsenic is called Paris green or emerald green. Poison sounds green too so it fits nicely.
Cadmium (48) – this element is used greatly in batteries, but it is also known to be deadly for those who surround it. The color that it is used for is, of course, cadmium yellow, orange, and red. I would hate to have a picture with this pigment on my wall.
Image via Wikipedia
Mercury (80) – as written earlier in its use in lights, it is also known to have quite a feature when it comes to pigments. In fact, you would never guess that mercury would be able to make vermillion paint! Although this is another element you may not want to put on your walls.
Copper (29) – This element is usually associated with green, like the statue of liberty, but it is also the main component of azurite, which is used to make a vividly blue pigment. This is also mistakenly thought to be what pennies are made out of, but they are actually made of Zinc.
Image via Wikipedia
Zinc (30) – What most pennies are made out of! And what is often used for the healing of minor scrapes and burns as well as for sunscreen. But it can also be used as another white pigment.
Calcium (20) – Because its use in bones you would expect it to be some form of white, but you would never expect it to be used as a BLACK! The name is called “bone black” for this reason and was very popular with artists like Rembrandt.
Carbon (6) – now this I can see, carbon being used as a black pigment. I can see it because of carbons wide use in oil and coal. It is also the main foundation for life.
Image via Wikipedia
Bibliography.
http://www.sciencefriday.com/arts/2010/08/artistic-elements-paint-pigments-and-the-periodic-table/
The elements: a visual exploration of every known atom in the universe. Theodore Gay, 2009. Print.
Other articles written by me.
http://scienceray.com/chemistry/the-science-behind-neon-lights/
http://scienceray.com/biology/ecology/water-vs-soda-the-fact-and-the-fiction/
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On March 17, 2011 at 10:04 am
interesting one
On March 21, 2011 at 12:05 pm
Hi – I found that very interesting. I once read that the colour red fades more quickly than other colours (that was in the context of road signs – you will see that the red in a stop signs fades quicker, than for instance green,blue, yellow.) I wonder what element is used in the red paint or a road sign? Also red clothes seem to wash out more