Mars Black is an
iron oxide
An iron oxide is a chemical compound composed of iron and oxygen. Several iron oxides are recognized. Often they are non-stoichiometric. Ferric oxyhydroxides are a related class of compounds, perhaps the best known of which is rust.
Iron ...
pigment
A pigment is a powder used to add or alter color or change visual appearance. Pigments are completely or nearly solubility, insoluble and reactivity (chemistry), chemically unreactive in water or another medium; in contrast, dyes are colored sub ...
developed in the 20th century. Also known under the names of black iron oxide, magnetic oxide, Pigment Black 11, and
ferrous ferric oxide (Fe
3O
4), it has no known health hazards and is considered non-toxic, with an
ASTM
ASTM International, formerly known as American Society for Testing and Materials, is a standards organization that develops and publishes voluntary consensus technical international standards for a wide range of materials, products, systems and s ...
lightfastness rating of I. It is more opaque and less toxic than other black pigments. Artists' paint manufacturers have rated it one of the most satisfactory black pigments for acrylic paints with regard to opacity, lightfastness, and permanence.
[http://www.sennelier.fr/fr/nuanciers.Acrylique.pdf] It takes its name from Mars, the god of war and patron of iron.
See also
*
List of inorganic pigments
The following list includes commercially or artistically important inorganic pigments of natural and synthetic origin..
Purple pigments
Aluminosilicate pigments
* Ultramarine violet (): a synthetic or naturally occurring sulfur containing silica ...
References
External links
* Mayer, Ralph. The Artist's Handbook of Materials and Techniques. Viking Adult; 5th revised and updated edition, 1991. .
Shades of gray
Mars black
Iron oxide pigments
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