All Things Art CT is honored to have Marie join us as this week's guest blogger. Marie is a full-time freelance writer and journalist with 20 years experience. She has written for many different online publications as well as many glossy magazines, newspapers, and blogs. Learn more about her at mariewriter.com.
Not since the Renaissance when the availability of the hugely expensive but dazzling pigment Ultramarine came to light, has color had something so wildly new and exciting.
Recently, a new blue has been found, and the world of color is dazzled.
While experimenting with materials for electronics applications at Oregon State University they accidentally created a new color. Chemist Mas Subramanian and his team discovered what they are calling YInMn blue — named after the elements Yttrium, Indium and Manganese, which are the elements that create this vibrant blue. An added plus, none of the pigment ingredients are toxic. Most pigments, particularly reds, contain toxic chemicals.
Although this new blue does look rather like cobalt blue, because of its unique properties and the way it refracts light, it could change the way we paint houses for energy efficiency. As a color it is durable, stable and does not fade. Because of its unique chemical structure, it can be used on buildings and roofs to keep them cool by reflecting infrared light.
Even more fun, Crayola has championed this blue and it is the replacement for the recently retired Dandelion crayon.
In a contest summer of 2017, they asked people to name it. It is called Bluetiful.
In an interview, Chemist Mas Subramanian, said. "Well, I asked my graduate student to mix three components. One is yttrium oxide, which is white; indium oxide, which is yellow; and manganese oxide, which is black. So the next morning I was in the lab, and he pulled the sample of the furnace, 2,300 degrees Fahrenheit, and I was shocked because all the samples came out vivid blue.”
Blue is one of the most difficult stable pigments to create. There are only very few blue pigments known to mankind.
This is the first new blue in over 200 years.