It is difficult to determine the exact age of the organic pigments to start using, since in ancient the organic pigments fade easily, it is difficult to retain so far. In ancient times, plant source coloring material (such as rubia, indigo grass) or animal coloring material (from the conch Tyrien) were used to alternative inorganic pigments. Colorants were called "Pigment" by biologists, because it is extracted from plants and animals. Scientific research shows that the main color components of Rubia is Alizarin (1, 2-dihydroxyanthraquinone), the indigo grassβs is Indigo. These organic pigment should be classified as organic dyes rather than pigments, which have solubility, at least they are the origin of the modern organic pigments.
Organic dyes and synthetic organic pigments start synthetic, after the first synthetic dyes mauveine was produced by British chemist Perkin in 1856, the Griess diazotization of aniline was discovered by German chemist in 1858, and aniline diazonium salt coupling reaction with an aromatic amine or aromatic phenols in 1861. The rise of large-scale synthesis of dyes, laid the foundation for organic pigments industry. Organic pigments are developed gradually accompanied by the development of dye industry.
Lithol Red was the first pigment prepared by water-soluble dye, Golden Red C (Pigment Red 53: 1) come out in 1903, and it is widely used in plastics until today. Monoazo and disazo benzidine yellow pigment began to put on the market in 1910, and red azo pigments into the market in 1931, since a number of patents related to yellow orange monoazo pigments published in 1909.
Phthalocyanine blue and Phthalocyanine green pigments are the milestones in the history of organic pigments, come out respectively in 1935 and 1938. It filled the blank that the shortage of high performance blue and green organic pigments. The production of phthalocyanine pigments keep growing, because the synthesis process is simple, low production cost, bright shade, strong tinting strength, also has excellent heat resistance, light fastness, weather resistance and chemical stability. Phthalocyanine pigments were developed very rapidly in half a century. Currently there are two crystal common forms for phthalocyanine blue: Ξ± type was reddish blue tones, Ξ²-type was greenish blue tone. Phthalocyanine green was the polychlorinated matter of copper phthalocyanine, and the yellow phthalocyanine green pigment product latterly was the substituent of copper phthalocyanine chlorine or copper phthalocyanine bromine.
Phthalocyanine yellow, orange, red and purple pigment were developed gradually from the 1950s, which have the similar color fastness with green and blue pigment. Yellow and red azo condensation pigment were developed by Switzerland Ciba β Geigy Company in 1954, which have excellent heat resistance and migration resistance. In 1955, US Company Du Pont has developed quinacridone red and violet pigments. Benzimidazolone yellow, orange and red pigment were introduced to the market by Germany Hurst in 1960s. In 1970s Switzerland Ciba-Geigy and BASF has developed a yellow isoindolinone and isoindoline pigments. In 1980s Ciba Company launched a new product Diketopyrrolo-Pyrrolo (e.g. DPP) based red pigment.
