Pigmentach

Pigmentach refers to pigments, the colorants used to impart color to materials. Pigments are typically solid, insoluble substances that color a medium by absorbing certain wavelengths of light and reflecting others. Because they do not dissolve, pigments are dispersed as finely divided particles in a binder or matrix, and used in paints, inks, plastics, and cosmetics.

Classification: inorganic pigments include iron oxides, titanium dioxide (white), and carbon black; natural earth pigments such as ochres and umbers; and synthetic versions of these. Organic pigments include phthalocyanines, quinacridones, and diketopyrrolopyrrole pigments. Specialty pigments include fluorescent, pearlescent, and interference types used for effects.

Properties: pigment performance is described by color strength, opacity or transparency, shade, tinting strength, and lightfastness. Other important attributes are heat and chemical stability, dispersibility, and compatibility with the binder. Particle size and milling influence coverage, gloss, and reproducibility in a given process.

Applications: pigments are used in paints and coatings, printing inks, plastics, ceramics, cosmetics, and artistic materials. They are selected for lightfastness, toxicity, regulatory compliance, and interaction with the binder. Some pigments have environmental or health concerns, such as cadmium- or lead-containing pigments, which face restrictions in many regions.

History: pigments have been used since ancient times, beginning with natural earth pigments and carbon-based blacks. The development of synthetic inorganic pigments in the 19th and 20th centuries expanded color ranges and stability. Today, ongoing research emphasizes safer formulations, new effects, and sustainability in pigment production.