A WHOLE NEW BEAUTIFUL BLUE

Soon, we’ll be seeing a new shade of blue.

Called YinMn Blue, it was accidentally discovered by a group of chemists back in 2009, but it is just now reaching the market. And it’s about to rock our world.

This is no ordinary blue. In fact, it might just be the most perfect blue ever.

YinMn Blue is extraordinary on a few counts. Throughout history, since ancient Egyptians first developed blue pigments, they have been fraught with problems and challenges. Many, like Ultramarine blue, are unstable. And some, like Prussian blue or Cobalt blue, have been found to be toxic: some release cyanide and some are carcinogenic.

Not only is YinMn Blue very stable, durable, and safe to use, but also it reflects infrared waves with remarkable efficiency (40%), so it can help keep buildings cool, if used in exterior paint. And imagine how beautiful it would look to see a sea of smart blue roofs!

Unlike other blue pigments, YinMn is also environmentally benign. And the cherry on top --  it’s inexpensive to produce.

Before YinMn, the last iconic blue creation was International Klein Blue, created by Yves Klein in 1958. The YinMn accidental discovery occurred 41 years later when scientists at Oregon State University (OSU) were investigating the electromagnetic properties of manganese oxide, heating it, along with 2 other chemicals, to over 1,200°C (2,000°F). 

Mas Subramanian, a Milton Harris professor of materials science in the OSU Department of Chemistry, observed when the heated samples were removed from the furnace, that they were an unusual shade of a very beautiful blue. “I realized immediately that something amazing had happened,” he exclaimed.

The new, vividly blue pigment was formed because manganese ions absorb red and green wavelengths of light, but only reflect pure blue. The intense blue color has an unusual crystal structure, known as trigonal bipyramidal coordination.

The team named the color “YInMn Blue” after its chemical makeup of Manganese, Yttrium, and Indium.

The findings of the original study were published in the Journal of the American Chemical Society. The research was funded by the National Science Foundation.

While the discovery was made over 7 years ago, OSU only recently reached an exclusive licensing agreement with Shepherd Color Company, a paint manufacturer, to make the new blue pigment available commercially. 

YinMn Blue has just starting to be used by artists. They love its vivid color and change-resistant properties. Someday, you will see YinMn Blue in automobiles, fine art, and house paint, and more.

Read more about Beautiful Blue in Beautiful Blue Inspirations Now.

And check out more beautiful things happening now in BN Arts/Design, Nature/Science, Food/Drink, Place/Time, Mind/Body, and Soul/Impact Daily Fix posts.

IMAGE CREDITS:

1. Image: by Malcolm Peacey. “In a Quiet Storm.”
2. Image: Courtesy of Oregon State University. “YInMn Blue, a new Pigment.”
3. Image: “YinMn Blue.”
4. Image: “Rocks at Rock Cut and Dusk Color at Rocky Mountains National Park, Colorado.”
5. Image: by m-louis. “International Klein Blue.”
6. Image: Courtesy of Oregon State University. “Chemist, Mas Subramanian.”
7. Image: by Jtangosu. “Crystal Structure of YInMn Blue.”
8. Image: Courtesy of Oregon State University. “Variations of a New Blue Pigment.”
9. Image: by Peter Kästel. “Blue Pigments.”
10. Image: by Sebastian Grünwald. “Paintbrush & Palette.”
11. Image: by Rocky Raybell. “Rainbows.”
12. Image: by Madelaine Corbin. Courtesy of Oregon State University.  “OSU Memorial Union Façade.” Painted with YinMn Blue.
13. Image: by BN App - Download now!
14. Image: Courtesy of Carol Chapel. “CaMas, Made with YInMn Blue Using DryPoint Printing.”