Phthalocyanine Blue BN
Encyclopedia
Phthalocyanine Blue BN, also called monastral blue, phthalo blue (and others) (CAS 147-14-8, EINECS 205-685-1), is a bright, greenish-blue crystalline synthetic blue pigment
from the group of phthalocyanine dyes.
It was first developed as a pigment
in the mid-1930s. Its brilliant blue is frequently used in paint
s and dye
s. It is highly valued for its superior properties such as light fastness, tinting strength, covering power and resistance to the effects of alkali
es and acid
s. It has the appearance of a blue powder, insoluble in water and most solvents. The story goes, that a Chemist at the ICI phthalimide plant was troubled by blue contamination of his product. This was traced to a by-product formed by the phthalimide reacting with the iron reactor. He took samples of this blue and using sulphuric acid as a solvent he managed to produce a workable pigment. This was converted into the copper centred blue and sold under the trade name Monastral. With the early alpha forms difficulty was experienced in forming stable dispersions, especially in mixtures with Rutile Titanium. The blue tended to flocculate. The beta form was more stable, as was the improved stablised alpha. There are even more isomeric forms available.
The substance, chemical name (29H,31H-phthalocyaninato(2-)-N29,N30,N31,N32)copper (or copper phthalocyanine), is also known as monastral blue, phthalo blue, helio blue, thalo blue, Winsor blue, phthalocyanine blue, C.I. Pigment Blue 15:2, Copper phthalocyanine blue, Copper tetrabenzoporphyrazine, Cu-Phthaloblue, PB-15, PB-36, and C.I. 74160. Numerous other trade names and synonyms exist. The abbreviation "CuPc" is also used.
s, coatings, and many plastic
s. The pigment is insoluble and has no tendency to migrate in the material. It is a standard pigment used in printing ink and the packaging industry.
A common component on the artist's palette, phthalo blue is a cool blue with a bias towards green. It has intense tinting strength and easily overpowers the mix when combined with other colors. It is a transparent staining color and can be applied using glazing techniques.
Industrial production was of the order of 10,000 tonnes pa in the 1980–90s in Japan alone. The pigment is the highest volume pigment produced.
Phthalocyanine Blue BN is also used as a source material for manufacture of Phthalocyanine Green G
.
Copper phthalocyanine, often referred to as CuPc, is also a leading material used in organic solar cell
research.
with phthalocyanine
. Molecular mass is 576.08, melting point 600 C (with decomposition), the substance is practically insoluble in water (< 0.1g / 100 ml @ 20C), but soluble in concentrated Sulphuric acid Density of the solid is ~1.6 g/cc. The color is due to a π-π* electronic transition, with λmax ~ 610 nm.
Pigment
A pigment is a material that changes the color of reflected or transmitted light as the result of wavelength-selective absorption. This physical process differs from fluorescence, phosphorescence, and other forms of luminescence, in which a material emits light.Many materials selectively absorb...
from the group of phthalocyanine dyes.
It was first developed as a pigment
Pigment
A pigment is a material that changes the color of reflected or transmitted light as the result of wavelength-selective absorption. This physical process differs from fluorescence, phosphorescence, and other forms of luminescence, in which a material emits light.Many materials selectively absorb...
in the mid-1930s. Its brilliant blue is frequently used in paint
Paint
Paint is any liquid, liquefiable, or mastic composition which after application to a substrate in a thin layer is converted to an opaque solid film. One may also consider the digital mimicry thereof...
s and dye
Dye
A dye is a colored substance that has an affinity to the substrate to which it is being applied. The dye is generally applied in an aqueous solution, and requires a mordant to improve the fastness of the dye on the fiber....
s. It is highly valued for its superior properties such as light fastness, tinting strength, covering power and resistance to the effects of alkali
Alkali
In chemistry, an alkali is a basic, ionic salt of an alkali metal or alkaline earth metal element. Some authors also define an alkali as a base that dissolves in water. A solution of a soluble base has a pH greater than 7. The adjective alkaline is commonly used in English as a synonym for base,...
es and acid
Acid
An acid is a substance which reacts with a base. Commonly, acids can be identified as tasting sour, reacting with metals such as calcium, and bases like sodium carbonate. Aqueous acids have a pH of less than 7, where an acid of lower pH is typically stronger, and turn blue litmus paper red...
s. It has the appearance of a blue powder, insoluble in water and most solvents. The story goes, that a Chemist at the ICI phthalimide plant was troubled by blue contamination of his product. This was traced to a by-product formed by the phthalimide reacting with the iron reactor. He took samples of this blue and using sulphuric acid as a solvent he managed to produce a workable pigment. This was converted into the copper centred blue and sold under the trade name Monastral. With the early alpha forms difficulty was experienced in forming stable dispersions, especially in mixtures with Rutile Titanium. The blue tended to flocculate. The beta form was more stable, as was the improved stablised alpha. There are even more isomeric forms available.
Synonyms and trade names
Uses
Due to its stability, phthalo blue is also used in inkInk
Ink is a liquid or paste that contains pigments and/or dyes and is used to color a surface to produce an image, text, or design. Ink is used for drawing and/or writing with a pen, brush, or quill...
s, coatings, and many plastic
Plastic
A plastic material is any of a wide range of synthetic or semi-synthetic organic solids used in the manufacture of industrial products. Plastics are typically polymers of high molecular mass, and may contain other substances to improve performance and/or reduce production costs...
s. The pigment is insoluble and has no tendency to migrate in the material. It is a standard pigment used in printing ink and the packaging industry.
A common component on the artist's palette, phthalo blue is a cool blue with a bias towards green. It has intense tinting strength and easily overpowers the mix when combined with other colors. It is a transparent staining color and can be applied using glazing techniques.
Industrial production was of the order of 10,000 tonnes pa in the 1980–90s in Japan alone. The pigment is the highest volume pigment produced.
Phthalocyanine Blue BN is also used as a source material for manufacture of Phthalocyanine Green G
Phthalocyanine Green G
Phthalocyanine Green G, also called phthalo green, Pigment Green 7, Copper Phthalocyanine Green, C.I. Pigment Green 42, Non-flocculating Green G, Polychloro copper phthalocyanine, or C.I. 74260, is a synthetic green pigment from the group of phthalocyanine dyes, a complex of copper with chlorinated...
.
Copper phthalocyanine, often referred to as CuPc, is also a leading material used in organic solar cell
Organic solar cell
An organic photovoltaic cell is a photovoltaic cell that uses organic electronics--a branch of electronics that deals with conductive organic polymers or small organic molecules for light absorption and charge transport....
research.
Structure, reactivity and properties
Phthalocyanine blue (C32H16N8Cu) a complex of copperCopper
Copper is a chemical element with the symbol Cu and atomic number 29. It is a ductile metal with very high thermal and electrical conductivity. Pure copper is soft and malleable; an exposed surface has a reddish-orange tarnish...
with phthalocyanine
Phthalocyanine
Phthalocyanine is an intensely blue-green coloured macrocyclic compound that is widely used in dyeing. Phthalocyanines form coordination complexes with most elements of the periodic table...
. Molecular mass is 576.08, melting point 600 C (with decomposition), the substance is practically insoluble in water (< 0.1g / 100 ml @ 20C), but soluble in concentrated Sulphuric acid Density of the solid is ~1.6 g/cc. The color is due to a π-π* electronic transition, with λmax ~ 610 nm.
Toxicity and hazards
The compound is non-biodegradeable, but not toxic to fish or plants. No specific dangers have been associated with this compound. Oral LD50 in mammals is estimated to be greater than 5 g per kg, with no ill effects found at that level of ingestion, for chronic ingestion levels of concern were found to occur at 0.2 g/kg or greater. There is no evidence for carcinogenic effects yet known. There is some evidence that exposure to phalocyanines can cause serious birth defects in developing embryos.See also
- British Rail corporate liveries#Rail Blue - use of the pigment as the standard livery for British RailBritish RailBritish Railways , which from 1965 traded as British Rail, was the operator of most of the rail transport in Great Britain between 1948 and 1997. It was formed from the nationalisation of the "Big Four" British railway companies and lasted until the gradual privatisation of British Rail, in stages...
trains from 1965 onwards. - List of colors
External links
- Discovery of a new pigment - "Monastral blue" colorantshistory.org
- Patrick Linstead talking about phthalocyanine Imperial College London, Chemistry department