szénanyagok

Színanyagok, often translated as colorants or pigments, are substances that impart color to materials. They work by selectively absorbing and reflecting certain wavelengths of light. When white light, which contains all colors of the visible spectrum, strikes a colored object, the colorant absorbs some wavelengths and reflects others. The reflected wavelengths are what we perceive as the color of the object.

There are two main categories of colorants: pigments and dyes. Pigments are insoluble in the medium they are applied to, meaning they are dispersed as solid particles. This insolubility makes them suitable for applications where durability and opacity are important, such as paints, inks, plastics, and ceramics. Dyes, on the other hand, are soluble in the medium and are typically used to color textiles, paper, and food.

The development of synthetic colorants in the 19th century revolutionized many industries, offering a wider range of stable and vibrant colors than naturally occurring ones. Common examples of inorganic pigments include titanium dioxide (white), iron oxides (red, yellow, black), and cadmium compounds (bright reds, yellows, oranges). Organic colorants, often derived from coal tar, provide a spectrum of brilliant hues and include pigments like phthalocyanines (blues and greens) and azo compounds (yellows, oranges, reds). The choice of colorant depends on the intended application, considering factors such as lightfastness, chemical resistance, toxicity, and cost.