Hey,
I am preparing a Magnetite in lab for using it as a pigment for a project. Among all of my trials, the pigment I produced was blackish or brown-blackish. However, the sample of magnetite that I have that I bought from the store is Blueish-Black.
Can someone explain the reason behind its blueish tone? I believe that Iron oxide does not produce a blue-ish tone, is there an additive that the manufacturer is using to enhance the blackness of the pigment?
Store-bought magnetite may contain additional elements that contribute to its blue-black color. These can be iron oxides such as hematite and/or goethite and other metal oxides. The presence of these elements can affect the color of the final pigment. Alternatively, the manufacturer may have added a dye or other colors to increase the darkness of the pigment.
R. Sagayaraj
In most cases, I have heard manufacturers add Carbon Black to enhance the blackness and tinting strength of Black Iron Oxide pigments. Can that be the case?
Moreover, if I emulsify the Carbon pigment and then coat it onto the Iron oxide, will that increase the tinting strength?
The blue coloring of magnetite is an optical phenomenon mainly on crystal surfaces. This is iridescence, i.e. dispersion of light.
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