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Things to Know About the New Blue – YInMn Blue

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We see different colors around us, including a red frog, a blue sky, and the colorful feathers of a peacock. However, it the light’s reflection from atoms that create these colors. We require pigments to generate color for dyes, cosmetics, or paints. Creating the colors synthetically or finding natural colors can be elusive, as well as, complicated.

First, the pigments have to be stable- they should not disintegrate with heat or fade in the light. Additionally, they have to be non-toxic. The discovery of a new thing or pigment is an uncommon phenomenon. People are known to mix paint since ancient times, which means humans have already discovered almost all the things that were required by them.

However, in 2009, a new form of blue got discovered accidentally. The new shade is referred to as YInMn Blue. The color has several other names, including Mas Blue and Oregon Blue.

What is YInMn Blue?

It is extremely rare to find blue objects around u,s unlike objects with other colors within nature. The first pertinent question that will come in your mind is what YInMn blue is all about. It is a blue pigment, which is a compound of Manganese, Indium, Yttrium. As mentioned earlier, the pigment was discovered relatively recently. It was accidentally discovered in 2009 at the OSU’s Chemistry Department’s materials science lab. The article covers everything you require knowing about the new blue – YinMn blue.

Come the 20th century, and we were fortunate to have organic blue pigments like Phthalo Blue (greenish and reddish versions) and Indanthrone Blue. In particular, Phthalo Blue significantly increases the possibilities of color mixing as it has high intensity and tinting strength. On the other hand, inorganic minerals, which are based on blue pigments like Cerulean Blue and Cobalt Blue, have undergone very little changes since the nineteenth century.

It was in 1802 when cobalt was discovered by the humans for the first time. A chemist named Mas Subramanian discovered the new blue hue after more than a century. He and his team members realized that when Manganese, Indium, and Yttrium were mixed and subject to extreme heat, a vibrantly blue inorganic pigment can be formed. Now you realize why this new blue color has such a chunky name. For the universe, the maiden man-made pigment was discovered in Egypt and is known as Egyptian blue. Thus, YInMn Blue is the most recent kind of blue, which has been one of the discoveries of a line blue hues.

The OSU team that accidentally discovered the new blue went on to publish the outcome of their lab experiments in a well-known scientific journal. In May 2015, the team had a licensing contract with the Shepherd Color Company so that the new pigment can be sold commercially.

On the outset, it is imperative to know how this chunky name is pronounced as it appears quite a tongue-twister. It is pronounced as “yin-min.” Secondly, it gets its names from its chemical elements’ symbols, which are available on the periodic table.

Not many are aware that Subramanian, along with his team members, have also come up with a wide range of distinct hues in series of the YInMn Blue. These include oranges, yellows, greens, and purples by including a new element to the mixture.

Also, there are different hues of the original Blue color, created by adjusting the proportion of Manganese in this compound. The scientist’s wife, Rajeevi Subramanian, who is also a chemist and an artist, has also started to paint with the different new pigments.

What is unique about this new blue color?

The new blue color has an array of defining traits apart from its vibrant color. For instance, the color does not fade. Additionally, when it is mixed with water or oil, the color’s saturation does not get impacted at all. YInMn Blue color is also non-toxic and extremely stable.

If you are using the color for interior design, it denotes that there could be a flood of color and finishes that comprise this stunning blue. The inclusion of this color can make your interior incredibly desirable.

Another advantage of YInMn blue color is it is safer and more durable to use as compared to similar blue pigments. The color is known for having a special crystal structure and is made of stable chemical compounds. The new blue also appears to be a fresh contributing factor in achieving energy efficiency.

The color may come handy in keeping your homes cool if it is used for painting roofs. The pigment is visually appealing and boasts several attributes, which are highly beneficial for engineers, architects, artists, as well as, designers. The color is already in high demand for being used for different varieties of plastics and coatings.

Reports have it that the many glass and paint companies are in contact with the R& D Manager of Shepheard Colour Company to discuss the pigment. It is the same company where the new blue color has been patented and licensed. The company’s R&D Manager feels that the discovery and popularity of YInMn Blue is an indication that many other new pigments will also be discovered.

Today, the new blue color has become an incredibly popular color trend and its popularity may continue even in the future. Apart from this, YInMn Blue has been included in the world history of color by the Forbes Pigment Collection. The beauty of this blue is that it exudes a tranquil nature.

Plus, it exudes a perfect balance of strength and brilliance. The success of the new blue color will evolve and enrich blue for sure. Thanks to its discovery, you will now find many blue objects with a new dimension altogether.

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Advantages of YInMn Blue and why it is so special

The new blue color has several attributes, making it superior as compared to other hues of blue. YInMn Blue, in its purest form, looks quite similar to cobalt blue. However, the difference between the two is that it is a much safer compound as opposed to cobalt. The latter is suspected to be carcinogenic.

Not only is YInMn safer as compared to similar blues, but it also happens to offer greater stability. The color does not fade when exposed to water or oil. So, there is a potentiality for it being used widely, as well as, produce longer-lasting outcomes as compared to other blues.

The pigment has a structure, which is known as trigonal bipyramidal. The structure refers to its crystal-like structure right at the atomic level. It forms a set of diamond or pyramid shapes. Its pyramid-like structure helps it to have attributes like reflectivity and intense color.

If you turn the pages of history, you will find most of the colors used over the different ages are organic. It means these are colors extracted from carbon chains. As such, they are typically naturally formed. The earliest painters used clays, referred to as ochres, charcoal, and chalk to paint on cave walls. Thereafter, the artists used dyes extracted from vegetables and fruits and ground minerals so that their palettes could have more colors.

On the other hand, inorganic compounds are sourced from non-carbon materials, typically metals. Ancient Egyptians came up with the first artificial blue pigment in about 3000 BC. They made blue objects such as glass from copper and sand. The mixture was then ground to form a powdery substance.

Does YInMn Blue offer possibilities to artists and painters to mix color?

Experiments done with this vibrant new blue color showed that it is a lovely reddish blue. The pigment is extremely dense, as well as, incredibly opaque. However, it does not create new and meaningful possibilities for artists and oil painters to mix color.

How to purchase YInMn color and what is its cost?

At present, the cost of this new blue color is quite high. The reason for this is the high price of indium, which is rarely available. Today, indium is used in just a handful of applications, such as computer screens. Indium is available only in the form of pure indium oxide.

People’s interest to find a new way of procuring indium materials that are not so pure has gone up. Another significant thing is one does not require to have one hundred percent pigment in their paint. For instance, the color can be mixed with colors such as white. The outcome can divert heat. So, there is a wide variety of possibilities when you use this pigment.

It is interesting to note that the price of this blue pigment is around 6 times the price of Cerulean or Cobalt blues. The reason being, indium is a rare element on earth. So, the pigment’s cost relative to the benefits offered by it is too high for the painters at present. However, all that can change shortly.

Final words

YInMn Blue has the distinction of being the maiden blue pigment to be discovered in two hundred years. It is being regarded as an amazing discovery, although it took some time to become popular. However, 12 years after it was identified for the first time, both the creator and the YInMn Blue are getting their due recognition. So, blue objects will now have a different vibrant look altogether, thanks to YInMn’s discovery.

Written by Johnny McAwley

Johnny is a writer who has been in the industry for more than 7 years. He has written for a number of well-known companies and publishers during the span of his career. He believes he is a happy-go-lucky guy who always makes the most of every opportunity that is presented to him. He believes laugher is the best medicine, and more often than not, if you hear a loud laugh in the room coming straight from the belly, you can bet that’s Johnny. He loves his dog, Flash, an energetic Golden Retriever, and often goes hiking with him on the weekends.

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