Brilliant Blue Dye Discovered in British Study

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 79, Issue 123, 26 May 1936, Page 10

Brilliant Blue Dye Discovered in British Study

LONDON—“Monastral Fast Blue BS” is the name given by Imperial Chemical Industries to a new blue pigment discovered hi their research laboratories. This is claimed to possess allround properties of fastness coupled with brilliance of shade, and to be a milestone in the history of the dye stuffs making industry. Blue is the colour which has deli, i the efforts of research since the introduction of Prussian blue ia 1740 and ultramarine in IS2(>. But the formci lacks resistance to alkali and heat, while the latter is not resistant to acid, and has not a high tinctorial value. The new blue can be varied from a reddish blue in strong shades through varying shades to a greenish blue in the pale, pastel shades. Seven Qualities A curious point in this discovery is that one of the research workers while examining some red dye saw some specks ot blue, and further experimenting with these specks resulted finally in the production of Monastral Fast Blue BS. The discoverers of this new dye de cribe it as “The seven star blue” for it is starred in seven desirable quuiit ies. It is claimed to be exceptional in its fastness to light and to heat; to bo absolutely fast to alkalics and tu acids; to be insoluble in oil, spirit, or nitrocellulose solvents; and to be characterized by high tinctorial value and brilliance of shade. These qualities should be of interest to manufacturers of paints, varnishes and enamels, for nitrocellulose lacquers, synthetic resin fuii.shes, for distempers, leather cloth, linoleum, rubber—in fact for anything which admits of being dyed. No Question of Patent Oue of the most valuable qualities of the new blue is in its application to three-colour printing. It is claimed that one stage in this process can be elimin- : ated as it makes possible a set of three inks covering a greater proportion of . three colour work than has been the case with any one set hitherto. It will > give better greens and better purples From the point of view of manufae*

turers it will be good news that ne question of patent is involved.