Spectral properties of the UV absorbing and near-IR reflecting blue pigment, YIn1-xMnxO3

• With increasing X, the color of YIn1-xMnxO3 ranges from blue to black.
• The optimal blue pigment has the composition YIn0.8Mn0.2O3.
• The total NIR reflectance of YIn0.8Mn0.2O3 is greater than alternative pigments.
• Weathering performance for YIn0.8Mn0.2O3 rivals that of alternative pigments.
• UV absorption properties of YIn0.8Mn0.2O3 could help limit polymer degradation.

Materials in the full miscibility range of YInO3 – YMnO3 were prepared and compared to CI Pigment Blue 28 (CoAl2O4 spinel) industrial pigments. The materials were analyzed by XRD, UV–Vis–NIR spectroscopy, SEM, Laser particle size analysis, and accelerated/outdoor weathering. The optimal composition, YIn0.8Mn0.2O3, is comparable to standard CoAl2O4 pigments, for example, having similar CIE color L* (∼34) and b* (∼-39) values, and increased a* (∼10) values in an acrylic coating. The potential utility of YIn0.8Mn0.2O3 as an industrial pigment was demonstrated by 5000 h of accelerated QUV weathering (ΔE* = 0.5) and 48 months of Cincinnati, Ohio outdoor exposure (ΔE* = 1.1) in which the performance was comparable or improved compared to CoAl2O4. The increased UV absorbance measured by thin film absorptivity, and decreased heat buildup determined from PVC spectral properties demonstrate that the YInO3 – YMnO3 materials offer a robust and ‘cool’ cobalt-free alternative to CoAl2O4 pigments.

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