Overview

A number of leading scientific discoveries have often been a result of chance encounters or an experiment revealing an entirely unexpected set of outcomes. The same has been true for YlnMn Blue [pronounced Yin Min Blue], a bright blue pigment that has given the world the first new blue hue in 200 years.

Quite out of the blue, isn’t it?

The science and other stuff to know

The pigment, commonly referred to as MasBlue, was accidentally discovered by Oregon State University Chemistry Professor Mas Subramanian during a study involving materials that could be suitable for electronics applications.

The blue pigment is made up of Yttrium, Indium, Manganese, and Oxygen and it first came to light in 2009. The experiment that revealed YInMn Blue was conducted by graduate student Andrew Smith. Smith was testing the electronic properties of manganese oxide by heating it to 1200°C, hoping to arrive at a new kind of electronic material. However, all he could manage to achieve was a brilliant blue powder. And Professor Subramanian was quick to notice.

With years of experience with DuPont, the professor knew immediately this was no ordinary blue. According to an Oregon Department of Chemistry news release, Subramanian believed from the get-go that the compound had a “strong commercial potential”, as it had been formed at an extremely high temperature and was likely highly stable.

So what?

Blue has always been an adored color since ancient times simply because of the fact that it exists rarely in nature. However, blue pigments and dyes have been known to be unstable and prone to fading with time, besides being toxic.

With MasBlue, however, scientists have finally discovered a pigment that can sustain its hue in extreme conditions, all while being non-toxic. Further testing on the YInMn Blue has revealed that the pigment was far superior to Cobalt Blue when it came to UV absorbance and stability while exposed to the elements. It was also found to have a higher solar reflectance, meaning its naturally cool blue hue and chemical properties make it an ideal candidate in applications like exterior paints and heat-reflecting coatings. What’s more, it does so in an organic and harmless way.

What’s next?

With the chance discovery leading to the highly prized MasBlue, scientists have been repeating the methodology to develop various shades of nontoxic pigments. “Now we’ve been able to move beyond the accident and really understand the chemistry, including its structure and synthesis,” Subramanian told Oregon State’s IMPACT magazine.

“We can produce different colors by using the same basic chemical structure but tweaking things a little, by replacing manganese atoms by iron, copper, zinc and/or titanium. And we’re slowly moving toward what we really want, what everyone keeps asking for, the Holy Grail of pigments – a bright, new, durable, nontoxic red.”