Oregon State researchers create new magenta pigments

(APRIL 25, 2024) Oregon State University researchers have created new colors that are like reddish magenta. They got inspiration from the moon and ancient Egyptian chemistry. This is done by Mas Subramanian, who is a professor at Oregon State University. He made a blue color in 2009. This time, his team made new colors using a material called chromium. They made these colors by heating chromium with other chemicals at very high temperatures.

The new colors can be used to paint vehicles and buildings. They are made from a type of chromium that hasn't been used for coloring before. This chromium has the same properties as another material called manganese, which was used to make the vivid blue color discovered by Subramanian's team 15 years ago. This blue color was named YInMn blue and became popular for its brightness and durability.

The researchers were inspired by an ancient Egyptian pigment called Egyptian blue, which used copper to create its color. They replaced the copper with chromium to make the new reddish magenta colors. These colors are stable and can withstand exposure to sun and chemicals.

Unlike many current magenta colors, which are made from harmful chemicals, these new colors are safer and reflect heat, helping to keep surfaces cool. The researchers hope to find more new colors by studying how different materials are structured at the atomic level. They believe this could lead to more discoveries in the future.