International. A study by Chinese researchers provides a feasible route for preparing low-cost, high-grade bismuth yellow pigments with excellent color properties and thermal stability.
The hybrid pigments of yellow atapulgite/bismuth were successfully manufactured by the sol-gel method followed by a calcination process.
The color of the hybrid pigments was superior to the BiVO4 samples after incorporating the atapulgite "magic wand", and this strategy also favored the control of the growth of yellow bismuth nanoparticles on the atapulgite surface without free agglomeration. This improvement in the color of hybrid pigments was mainly related to the change in band energy due to doping of atapulgite compositions.
The pigments exhibited the optimal color properties (L* = 79.39, a * = 4.69, b * = 86.19, C * = 86.32, and h ° = 86.89) after the introduction of 40% atapulgite. These pigments could be used as an eco-friendly yellow dye to replace traditional and toxic ones for both hydrophobic polystyrene plastic and hydrophilic polyurethane resin applications, as well as easily sprayed on various substrates.
Source: http://www.sciencedirect.com
