CHEMISTRY PROJECT

Preparation Of Pigments Of
Different Colors Using Various
Chemical Reagents

Efforts By
Name: Navreet Kaur
Class: XII-B
Roll Number:
Session: 2016 - 2017
1

AIM

TO PREPARE PIGMENTS OF
DIFFERENT COLOURS BY USING
VARIOUS CHEMICAL REAGENTS

CERTIFICATE
This is hereby to certify that the following investigation
work in the subject chemistry has been carried out with
complete sincerity and satisfaction by Navreet Kaur of
Class XII - B, Apeejay School, Pitampura, regarding her
project titled:Preparation Of Pigments Of Different Colors By
Using Various Chemical Reagents

Teachers Signature

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
I, Navreet Kaur, student of class XII-B of Apeejay School,
Pitampura, am grateful to our principal sir to provide me
with an opportunity and resources for carrying forward
my investigation project on the topic:
Preparation Of Pigments Of Different Colours By Using
Various Chemical Reagents
I am thankful to my chemistry teacher Ms. Bharti Rattan.
Her valuable guidance, support and supervision all
through this project were very helpful.
The progress in science and technology has been a great
help to me for finding the information as well as making
my project effective. Books and journals have always
been mans best friend to provide information and
enhance knowledge.
I am thus, obliged and thankful to above all mentioned,
who have helped me to complete this project and guide
me through in whatever ways they could.

CONTENTS
Introduction
Apparatus
Chemicals Required
Theoretical Report
Procedure
Precautions
Observations
Result
Sources Of Errors
Bibliography

INTRODUCTION
Painting is one of my favorite hobbies. Many a times
while using paints I have wondered how they are made.
So, when I came across this investigatory project work, I
thought of it as the best opportunity to get the answer for
the question about which I have wondered for so long.
This project is based on the study of pigments of various
colours. Pigments are used in many industries for making
colours and paints. Though many pigments are obtained
naturally as well from certain rocks but they can be
synthesized as well with the help of chemicals. In this
project, I intend to explain and showcase the process of
synthesizing pigments by using various chemical
reagents.

APPARATUS
The following materials are required: 5-6 Test Tubes
Test Tube Holder
Test Tube Stand
Spatula
Filter Stand
Filter
Filter Paper
Small Zip Lock Pouches

CHEMICALS REQUIRED
The following chemicals are required: Lead Nitrate

Pb(NO3)2

Hydrochloric Acid

HCl

Sodium Sulphide Flakes

Na2S

Copper Nitrate

Cu(NO3)2

Potassium Ferrocyanide

K4[Fe(CN)6]

Potassium Chromate

K2CrO4

Iron(III) Chloride

FeCl3

THEORETICAL REPORT
WHAT IS A PIGMENT?
A pigment is a finely divided substance which contributes
to the optical and other properties of paints.
Pigments are classified on the basis of the source from
which they are made or extracted.
The most important classification is the one in which
pigments are chemically prepared due to two main
reasons.
First, tons of different pigments can be made chemically
and second, they find their usage in many production
industries. Examples are paints and dye industry, toys
industry, automobile industry etc.

Figure 1 - Pigments of Different Colours

WHAT ARE POSTER PAINTS?

9

Poster paints are made from pigments. Grinding a

pigment to a very fine powdered substance and then
suspending this powdered mixture in a very fine medium
makes poster paints. The medium is made by mixing glue
and water in the ratio 3:1 and adding some drops of
liquid detergent to it. The substance is mixed in this
concentrated liquid so as to obtain a uniform suspension.
For making poster paints, the pigments made by
chemicals are thoroughly mixed with the medium. In
some cases, paint may harden but it can be softened again
by addition of lukewarm water to it.

Figure 2

Figure 3

Figure 2 and Figure 3 show poster paints.

HOW ARE PIGMENTS MADE

Pigments are easy to make. Pigments are the dry coloured
precipitates of various salts. When we observe a sudden
10

colour change on adding some chemical in another

chemical, the colour is due to the formation of particles
of some new chemical salt in the solution which has a
colour different from the previous colour of the solution.
These are known as precipitates. These are collected
separately by filtration. To remove the remaining water,
they are heated. The product of all this is a dry substance
of fine small particles called pigment.

Figure 4

Figure 5

Figure 4 and Figure 5 show beginning and end of the precipitation process
respectively.

PROCEDURE
A.

TO PREPARE WHITE PIGMENT

11

 Small amount of Lead Nitrate (Pb(NO3)2) is

dissolved in 15ml of water in a test tube.
4-5ml of dilute Hydrochloric Acid (HCl) is added to
this test-tube.
Lead Chloride (PbCl2) separates out as white
precipitate.
Filter the precipitate and dry the pigment.
(Pb(NO3)2) + dil HCl

B.

PbCl2 + 2HNO3(aq)

TO PREPARE BROWN PIGMENT

Add 3-4gms of Copper Nitrate (Cu(NO3)2) in 10 ml
of water in a test tube.
Add 5-6 ml of Potassium Ferrocyanide
(K4[Fe(CN)6) in this test tube.
Copper Ferrocyanide (Cu2[Fe(CN)6) separates out
as chocolate brown precipitates.
Filter the precipitate and dry the pigment.

Cu(NO3)2 + K4[Fe(CN)6 Cu2[Fe(CN)6 +

4KNO3
C.

TO PREPARE BLUE PIGMENT

Make a solution of 2-3gm Hydrated Iron(III)
Chloride (FeCl3) in 10ml of water in a test tube.
12

 Make a solution of 4-5gm of Potassium Ferrocyanide

(K4[Fe(CN)6]) in 10ml of water in another test tube.
Add Iron(III) Chloride solution to Potassium
Ferrocyanide solution slowly.
Iron Ferrocyanide (Fe4[Fe(CN)6]3) separates out as
Prussian blue coloured precipitate.
Filter the precipitate and dry the pigment.
3K4[Fe(CN)6] + 4FeCl3 Fe4[Fe(CN)6]3 +
12KCl

Figure 6

Figure 7

Figure 6 and Figure 7 show the blue pigment during filtration from side
view and top view respectively.

D.

TO PREPARE YELLOW PIGMENT

Add 3-4gm of Potassium Chromate (K2CrO4) in
10ml of water in a test tube.
13

 In another test tube, add 2gm of Lead Nitrate

(Pb(NO3)2) in 10ml of water.
Pour Potassium Chromate solution in Lead Nitrate
solution slowly.
Lead Chromate (PbCrO4) separates out as
precipitate of yellow colour.
Filter the precipitate and dry the pigment.
Pb(NO3)2 + K2CrO4

PbCrO4 + 2KNO3

Figure 8 shows yellow pigment left behind on filter paper.

E. TO PREPARE BLACK PIGMENT

Add Lead Nitrate (Pb(NO3)2) to 10ml of water in a
test tube.
14

 Add some flakes of Sodium Sulphide (Na2S) to it

and shake it well.
Lead Sulphide (PbS) separates out as a black
precipitate.
Filter the precipitate and dry the pigment.
Pb(NO3)2 + Na2S PbS + 2NaNO3

Figure 9

Figure 10

Figure 9 and Figure 10 show the black pigment during filtration from side
view and top view respectively

PRECAUTIONS
The following precautions must be taken:15

 While working with chemicals, ensure that you are

safe by using a lab coat while performing experiment.
Also take care while using chemicals.
Handle the lab equipment like centrifugation machine,
test tubes, filter apparatus etc. with care.
Ensure to store the obtained pigment after drying it
completely taking care that you do not inhale it. It
could be harmful if inhaled.
Wash the test tubes properly after each analysis.
The funnel made should be good enough to do the
filtration work properly.
The deposited pigment on the filter paper after drying
should be scrubbed gently with a spatula for
collection of pigment.

OBSERVATIONS

16

After drying the obtained precipitates of different colours

completely, we obtain pigments of different colors
namely:
1) White
2) Blue
3) Yellow
4) Brown
5) Black.
These pigments can be further converted into poster
paints by mixing them thoroughly in a concentrated
medium of high viscosity.

RESULT
17

Pigments of the following colours are successfully

prepared:

White
Prussian Blue
Yellow
Brown
Black

SOURCES OF ERRORS
Sources of errors could be:18

 The salt sample taken may be defective. In this case

proper precipitation will not occur. So try it again
with another salt sample.
Test tubes may not be washed properly due to which
the result might be affected.
A correct funnel may not be made out of the filter
paper which may lead to improper filtration.

BIBLIOGRAPHY
19

 Class XII Laboratory Manual Of Physics (NCERT)

Websites
www.icbse.com
www.mapsofindia.com
www.wikipedia.com

20