Synthetic Iron Oxide Pigments

Synthetic Red Iron Oxide Pigments were first made in a Laboratory setting by the 18th century. This pigments were given the name Mars Red. These pigments contained all the properties of their counterparts, i.e. Natural Iron Oxide Pigments. Form 19th century, the manufacturing of these synthetic iron oxide pigments started on regular basic. Gradually, the improvements have been taken place with every production process because these pigments have properties like durability, permanence etc. In the early 1920, the yellow synthetic iron oxide pigments (Mars Yellow) were produced for the first time. Vital improvement processes have been taking place along with its production and still improvement processes are continued. By modifying the manufacturing processes of Mars Red and Mars Yellow, the manufacturing process of Brown Iron Oxide Pigments also has been evolved.

There are various process of manufacturing synthetic iron oxide pigments are calcining, precipitation, reduction thermal decomposition of iron compounds.

The common colors of these pigments are orange, red brown and yellow. Basic chemicals are used for manufacturing of synthetic iron oxide pigments. To produce synthetic iron oxide pigments, iron salts or iron compounds are decomposed. By precipitating of iron salts and reducing the organic compounds by iron, pigments of synthetic iron oxide can be prepared.

These pigments find usage in many industries like: wood and paper stains, linoleum, oilcloth, paints, mortar, plaster, bricks, rubber and for other pigment able substances. The range of applications of synthetic Iron Oxide Pigments is longer than the Natural Iron Oxide Pigments. But in few specific cases, the uses of Natural Iron Oxide pigments can not be substituted by the Synthetic iron Oxide Pigments.

These days, there is a large variety of Synthetic Iron Oxide Pigments available in the market. These synthetic pigments are found in different colors, having superior uniformity, excellent quality and high purity. But, the Natural Iron Oxide Dyes are most preferred because of their ample availability and low cost of extraction.

The main difference between Synthetic and Natural Iron Oxide pigments is based on their purity. The Natural Iron Oxide Pigments contain contaminants that reduce the working efficiency of these pigments.

These contaminants can be divided into two types. One having of coloring property and second type of contaminant behave as extender. These contaminants with coloring property are often magnetite, MnO etc. while the non-coloring contaminants are often derived from the Natural pigments. These non-coloring contaminants are used in the industry as fillers, including talc, calcium carbonates and clays.