YInMn Blue

Modern inorganic pigment

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Composition and Properties of YInMn Blue

The chemical formula of the new pigment is YIn1-xMnxO3. Its color can be changed by adjusting the proportion of manganese ions Mn3+ which are responsible for the intense blue color. This pigment is one of the most recent contributions of the chemists to artists’ palette.

YInMn-tubes-Derivan

YInMn blue as artists’ paints

YInMn-Blue-crystals

Pigment

YInMn-blue-painted-swatch

Painted swatch

Video: 'Radeon Pro WX Series and YInMn Blue' by AMD

Names 

Alternative names

Oregon blue

Color Index

Word origin

Y, In, and Mn are the symbols of the three constituent elements of the pigment: Yttrium (Y), Indium (In), and Manganese (Mn).

Spain Flag

YInMn Blau

German

Spain Flag

Bleu YInMn

French

Spain Flag

Azzurro YInMn

Italian

Spain Flag

Azul YInMn

Spanish

Preparation

The pigment can be prepared by heating the oxides of the three elements yttrium, indium, and manganese (Y2O3, In2O3, and Mn2O3) in the air to a temperature of 1200 – 1300 °C (1).

 

Preparation of the Pigment

 

YInMn-blue-pigment-pellets-taken-out-of-the-furnace-web YInMn pellets are being taken out of the furnace

History of Use 

The pigment was first synthesized in 2009 at the Oregon State University and patented in 2012. It is now commercially available as an artists’ pigment.

Identification

Reflectance spectra UV-VIS and IR

YInMn-Blue-spectrum

Spectrum by Chemistry Dept, Oregon State University

The spectrum of YInMn blue in comparison with the spectra of two forms of cobalt blue. YInMn blue shows strong reflection in both the UV- and the IR-regions of the electromagnetic spectrum (1).

 

References

(1) Andrew E. Smith, Matthew C. Comstock, M.A. Subramanian, Spectral properties of the UV absorbing and near-IR reflecting blue pigment, YIn1-xMnxO3, Dyes and Pigments, Volume 133, October 2016, Pages 214–221.

Further Reading

References

(1) Andrew E. Smith, Hiroshi Mizoguchi, Kris Delaney, Nicola A. Spaldin, Arthur W. Sleight and M. A. Subramanian, Mn3+ in Trigonal Bipyramidal Coordination: A New Blue Chromophore, J. Am. Chem. Soc., 2009, 131 (47), pp 17084–17086. DOI: 10.1021/ja9080666.

(2) Andrew E. Smith, Matthew C. Comstock, M.A. Subramanian, Spectral properties of the UV absorbing and near-IR reflecting blue pigment, YIn1-xMnxO3, Dyes and Pigments, Volume 133, October 2016, Pages 214–221.

(3) S. Muntwyler, J. Lipscher, HP. Schneider, Das Farbenbuch, 2nd. Ed., 2023, alataverlag Elsau, pp. 120-212 and 462-65.