New Blue

The materials scientist at Oregon State University never planned on working with color. Mas Subramanian and his research team were instead focused on developing materials for electronics. But one day, he walked by the lab just as a graduate student was pulling some chemical samples out of the furnace. “I saw this vivid, intense blue,” he says. “I was shocked. I’d never seen anything like it from mixing these chemicals.”  

The materials scientist at Oregon State University never planned to work with color. Instead, Mas Subramanian and his research team were focused on developing materials for electronics. But one day, he walked by the lab and got a surprise. A graduate student was pulling some chemical samples out of the furnace. “I saw this vivid, intense blue,” Subramanian says. “I was shocked. I’d never seen anything like it from mixing these chemicals.”

The bright-blue substance turned out to be a new pigment—a substance that absorbs and reflects different wavelengths, or colors, of light (see Light and Color). Pigments are used to give color to paints, plastics, fabrics, and even foods. Blue pigments are difficult to find in nature or manufacture. The last major blue pigment, cobalt blue, was discovered in the early 1800s. It’s still used in many paints and other products today, but making it requires workers to handle toxic materials.

The bright-blue substance turned out to be a new pigment. That’s a substance that soaks up and reflects different wavelengths, or colors, of light (see Light and Color). Pigments are used to give color to paints, plastics, fabrics, and even foods. Blue pigments are hard to find in nature and hard to make. The last major blue pigment, cobalt blue, was discovered in the early 1800s. It’s still used in many paints and other products today. But to make it, workers have to handle toxic materials.

Subramanian’s blue compound—a substance made of two or more elements—is formed from yttrium (Y), indium (In), manganese (Mn), and oxygen (O). In honor of its chemical composition, the pigment is named YInMn (pronounced YIN-min) blue.

In tests, YInMn blue has proved to be more durable than cobalt blue, which tends to fade over time. Better yet, the pigment and its ingredients are completely nontoxic. Subramanian and his colleagues patented their creation, and the Shepherd Color Company will soon make and sell it. Look for this dazzling new blue in paints and other products.

Subramanian’s blue material is a compound—a substance made of two or more elements. It contains yttrium (Y), indium (In), manganese (Mn), and oxygen (O). Because of its chemical makeup, the pigment is named YInMn (pronounced YIN-min) blue.

Cobalt blue tends to fade over time, but tests show that YInMn blue lasts longer. Better yet, the pigment and its ingredients are nontoxic. Subramanian and his team patented their creation. Soon, the Shepherd Color Company will make and sell it. Look for this dazzling new blue in paints and other products.