COLOR CHEMISTRY

By
Zeeshan Ahmad
 COLOR CHEMISTRY

We perceive color as a result of light interacting with our eyes; the

properties of physical objects can alter the way they absorb, reflect and
emit light, changing the way we see them. Color is everywhere –
including in chemistry.
 COLORS BY BRAIN

There are three types of

color receptors in your
eye: red, green and blue.
 CHEMISTRY BEHIND COLORS

• Different colors have different wavelengths.

• The human brain can only recognize colors that have wavelengths

within the visible spectrum.

• Colors that have wavelengths that are either less or more than this

visible spectrum are invisible to us.

 The visible Electromagnetic
spectrum is the radiation in this
portion of range
the electromagnetic of wavelengths
spectrum that is called visible
is visible to light or
the human eye. . simply light
 COLORANTS

Substance that is added or applied in order to change the colour of

a material or surface.

1) Dye
2) Pigment
 DYES
• The first synthetic dye discovered by Perkin in 1856
Dyes may be classified according to chemical structure or by their usage or
application method.
CLASSIFICATION OF DYES BY USE OR
APPLICATION METHOD

• Reactive Dyes • Disperse Dyes

• Acid Dyes • Vat Dyes

• Premetallized Dyes • Sulfur Dyes

• Direct Dyes • Basic Dyes

• Azoic (Napthol) Dyes

• Reactive Dyes. These dyes form a covalent bond with the fiber, usually cotton,
although they are used to a small extent on wool and nylon. High-purity reactive dyes are
used in the ink-jet printing of textiles, especially cotton.

• Disperse Dyes. These are substantially water-insoluble nonionic dyes for application to
hydrophobic fibers from aqueous dispersion. They are used predominantly on polyester
and to a lesser extent on nylon, cellulose, cellulose acetate, and acrylic fibers.

• Direct Dyes. These water-soluble anionic dyes, when dyed from aqueous solution in the
presence of electrolytes, are substantive to, i.e., have high affinity for, cellulosic fibers. Their
principal use is the dyeing of cotton and regenerated cellulose, paper, leather, and, to a
lesser extent, nylon Most of the dyes in this class are polyazo compounds, along with some
stilbenes, phthalocyanines, and oxazines
• Vat Dyes. These water-insoluble dyes are applied mainly to cellulosic fibers as soluble leuco
salts after reduction in an alkaline bath, usually with sodium hydrogensulfite. Following
exhaustion onto the fiber, the leuco forms are reoxidized to the insoluble keto forms and
aftertreated, usually by soaping, to redevelop the crystal structure. The principal chemical
classes of vat dyes are anthraquinone and indigoid.

• Acid Dyes. These water-soluble anionic dyes are applied to nylon, wool, silk, and
modified acrylics. They are also used to some extent for paper, leather, ink-jet
printing, food, and cosmetics.

• Cationic (Basic) Dyes. These water-soluble cationic dyes are applied to paper,
polyacrylonitrile (e.g. Dralon), modified nylons, and modified polyesters. Their original use
was for silk, wool, and tannin-mordanted cotton when brightness of shade was more important
than fastness to light and washing. Basic dyes are water-soluble and yield colored cations in
solution
 FEW TERMS
• The term Chromogen is applied in chemistry to a colourless (or weakly coloured) chemical
compound that can be converted by chemical reaction into a compound which can be described as
"coloured"
• A chromophore is the part of a molecule responsible for its color
• An auxochrome is a group of atoms attached to a chromophore which modifies the ability of that
chromophore to absorb light. They themselves fail to produce the colour; but when present along
with the chromophores in an organic compound intensifies the colour of the chromogen.Examples
include the hydroxyl group (−OH), the amino group (−NH2), the aldehyde group (−CHO), and
the methyl mercaptan group (−SCH3).
• It increases the color of any organic compound. For example, benzene does not display color as it
does not have a chromophore; but nitrobenzene is pale yellow color because of the presence of
a nitro group (−NO2) which acts as a chromophore.
• p-hydroxynitrobenzene exhibits a deep yellow color, in which the −OH group acts as an
auxochrome. Here the auxochrome (−OH) is conjugated with the chromophore −NO2. Similar
behavior is seen in azobenzene which has a red color, but p-hydroxyazobenzene is dark red in
color.
 PIGMENTS

• Pigments are insoluble and are applied not as solutions but as finely ground solid
particles mixed with a liquid. In general, the same pigments are employed in oil- and
water-based paints, printing inks, and plastics. Pigments may be organic (i.e., contain
carbon) or inorganic.
• Inorganic
• Organic
Points of Difference Dyes Pigments
They are soluble Pigments are colourants that are insoluble in water and most of
Solubility
the solvents
Number Available in Large number Comparatively lesser in number
Product resistance Lower as compared to pigments Very high
Lower Dyes are very much vulnerable. Lights destroy colored Traditionally pigments have been found to be more lightfast than
Lightfastness
objects by breaking open electronic bonding within the molecule dyes
Dye molecules are comparatively smaller it's like comparing a Pigment particles are about 1-2 microns in size. (1 micron
Size football (pigment) to say a head of a pin (dye) =1/1000 meter). It means that the particles can be seen under a
magnifying glass
Taking the example of dyeing a wood surface, the dye and the For example taking the example of a wood surface Pigment
substrate (wood) that is dyed are chemicals, that have certain requires the help of a binder for gluing. As it is an inert substance
features called functional groups. At the level of molecules these which is merely suspended in a carrier/binder
Bonding groups serve as open pockets of electrostatic charges (+ or -).
The functional group in dyes, serve as a method for attaching the
dye to the wood

Structure during the During application process there is a temporary alteration in the During application, pigments have the capacity to retain
application process structure of the dyes particulate or crystalline structure
Pigments impart colours by either scattering of light or by
Imparting of Colours Dyes can only impart colour by selective absorption of the dyes
selective absorption
Taking the example of a Candle making process, if the candles In the example of a candle making as pigments are colored
are dyed it is easily combustible and can be applied throughout particles, they tend to clog a wick when burned. This makes them
Combustible properties
the candle undesirable for a candle if it is colored throughout and used for
burning
While pigments are normally inorganic compounds, often
Chemical Composition Usually the dyes are organic (i.e. carbon-based) compounds
involving heavy toxic metals
The dye based printing inks do not last as long as the pigment In case of ink based printing prints made with pigments lasts
Longevity factor
inks longer
Compatible with almost all the substrates that needs to be dyed Owing to the physical makeup of the pigment inks the range for
Printing on substrates
suitable substrates are limited
Taking the case of printing inks, dye based inks offers a wide As compared to dye-based inks, pigment inksets somewhat lags
Colour gamut
variety behind, on the same paper stock
Thank you