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The first blue pigment discovered in 200 years is now commercially available

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Re: The first blue pigment discovered in 200 years is now commercially available

#141

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I would say, do not underestimate the value of art. The article described an artist that made is own paint from the pigment. He painted a depiction of an ancient bird, its absolutely beautiful. This use was not a waste of resources and will in fact last much much longer than any screen made in 2021. Its arguable that using precious resources for products that last less than 20 years, in many cases less than 5 years,…

I agree that using such a pigment for a small number of art objects would certainly be justified, like also the use of gold in art objects or jewelry, instead of its more valuable technical uses, for which there are no alternatives, e.g. in protecting electrical contacts from corrosion or in semiconductor metallization. However, if instead of using this pigment in a few valuable paintings, it would be used in a high…

>However, if instead of using this pigment in a few valuable paintings, it would be used in a high number of ephemeral sketches done for practice, that would be a waste.

Just like a high number of ephemeral smartphone screens would be a waste?

Re: The first blue pigment discovered in 200 years is now commercially available

#142
post #130

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I believe that the anti-thiomersal hysteria was quite justified. Even if thiomersal is more effective at killing bacteria than at killing humans, there are no doubts that it is also toxic for humans and for any other animals. While the thiomersal dose injected together with a vaccine is small enough so that in most cases it will not cause damages before being eliminated from the body, the risks are not negligible. To…

The amount of mercury intake with vaccine that was preserved using thiomersal is smaller than amount mercury taken into organism when you drink a cup of tap water in many countries, including tap water declared safe to drink. That's why it wasn't justified.

While you may be right that the total amount of mercury is not an issue relative to other sources, allergies to thiomersal are a real thing. Here's a page on it: https://dermnetnz.org/topics/thiomersal-allergy/

Personally, I eventually discovered that my terrible problems with wearing contact lenses in the 1990's were caused by the thiomersal used as a preservative in the saline solution I was using. Given my known and tested reaction to having it in my eyes and on my skin, I would be very reluctant to have an injection that contained it.

Re: The first blue pigment discovered in 200 years is now commercially available

#143
post #142
post #130

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The amount of mercury intake with vaccine that was preserved using thiomersal is smaller than amount mercury taken into organism when you drink a cup of tap water in many countries, including tap water declared safe to drink. That's why it wasn't justified.

While you may be right that the total amount of mercury is not an issue relative to other sources, allergies to thiomersal are a real thing. Here's a page on it: https://dermnetnz.org/topics/thiomersal-allergy/ Personally, I eventually discovered that my terrible problems with wearing contact lenses in the 1990's were caused by the thiomersal used as a preservative in the saline solution I was using. Given my known a…

Guess we should ban peanuts too, since allergies to that exist too. Some population being allergic isn't an argument to remove it, rather one for transparency and alternatives.

Re: The first blue pigment discovered in 200 years is now commercially available

#144

I've bought several hundred tubes of paint in last 20 years. I've seen artists gravitating towards more expensive paints as a sign of better pigmentation which is completely misplaced. Pricing of pigments is largely a complex equation including marketing by paint manufacturers to pose Cadmiums and Chromiums as "premium" quality paints. The truth couldn't be farther from that. Modern synthetic pigments are superior, s…

See: > In economics and consumer theory, a Giffen good is a product that people consume more of as the price rises and vice versa * https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Giffen_good

This is probably not an example of a Giffen good. Rather, it’s better categorized as a Veblen good. The increasing consumption of Giffen goods with higher prices is predicted by the standard rational-agent economic theory, and requires the good to be a dominant portion of a consumer’s expenditures. This condition is hard to satisfy, and is typically only found in situations where the price of a staple food increases. Veblen goods, on the other hand, are those that are consumed precisely because of their high price, and are not predicted by standard microeconomic theory.

Re: The first blue pigment discovered in 200 years is now commercially available

#145
post #133
post #93

Earlier quoted context omitted.

AFAIK only in specialised low-temp solder, like the one sold by Chip-Quik to desolder sensitive components.

That's Tin-Bismuth eutectic, forming a 99 C (a hair below boiling water) eutectic when mixed with lead.

Take a look for yourself: https://www.digikey.com/catalog/en/partgroup/chip-quik-indiu...

Re: The first blue pigment discovered in 200 years is now commercially available

#146

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Chemical reactions (such as forming it into a pigment) greatly change the biological effects substances have. For example, you probably shouldn't drink OH- or H2O2, even though it is made of the same atoms as water. Just because the pure elemental form is toxic doesn't make compounds with it toxic as well.

I don't think that is a very good example. A better example would be is there a safe compound with lead or arsenic or mercury (known toxic elements) you would want to take into your body?

Sodium if ingested would very quickly kill you if the massive explosions in your mouth didn't hinder the ability to ingest it.

Chloride is also deadly in high enough concentrations (or rather, in non-trace concentrations), but we also use low amounts of it in pool cleaners.

Mix the two and you get salt.

Re: The first blue pigment discovered in 200 years is now commercially available

#147
post #143
post #142

Earlier quoted context omitted.

While you may be right that the total amount of mercury is not an issue relative to other sources, allergies to thiomersal are a real thing. Here's a page on it: https://dermnetnz.org/topics/thiomersal-allergy/ Personally, I eventually discovered that my terrible problems with wearing contact lenses in the 1990's were caused by the thiomersal used as a preservative in the saline solution I was using. Given my known a…

Guess we should ban peanuts too, since allergies to that exist too. Some population being allergic isn't an argument to remove it, rather one for transparency and alternatives.

No it should be more like: I guess we should not put peanuts into vaccines without serious consideration.

Re: The first blue pigment discovered in 200 years is now commercially available

#148
post #145
post #133

Earlier quoted context omitted.

That's Tin-Bismuth eutectic, forming a 99 C (a hair below boiling water) eutectic when mixed with lead.

Take a look for yourself: https://www.digikey.com/catalog/en/partgroup/chip-quik-indiu...

Yeah, but that's not for desoldering. It's for things like soldering heat sinks to flip-chip dies, or hermetic sealing cans for sensitive components.

I'm not surprised by them selling indium solder wire, but they offer all kinds of solder under that brand.

Re: The first blue pigment discovered in 200 years is now commercially available

#149
post #132

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Because corrosive is way different than toxic. Particularly, acid/base corrosion can and will be neutralized by our body once sufficiently diluted. Toxic compounds, especially heavy metals, stay toxic even if diluted.

Again, so what? The point being made is that you can take dangerous elements and then create a compound that doesn’t share the properties of the elements. So a counter argument is to show that’s not true for the elements that make up the compound for this blue dye.

The point is, that making corrosive properties go away is easy and very typical, whereas toxic properties often have a habit of not going away after it enters the body.

Most corrosive substances release their effects on the surface they contact you, but toxic effects, especially the problematic ones, are way deeper.

The distinction is fairly important, especially regarding heavy metals.

Like hydrofluoric acid, for example. It's fairly easy to not notice you spilled some on your hand/arm until after it soaked through your skin, upon which the issue is systemic toxicity or at least bone damage. In contrast, sulfuric, nitric, and hydrochloric acids at any concentration up to azeotropic just cause burns and, for sulfuric acid, dehydration. There are no acute systemic risks from all but large-area burns, and even then it's mostly due to fluid loss which can be compensated for. (Yes, there are later risks due to loss-of-skin and skin graft surgery, but none of those complications try to have you pronounced dead you within a few hours of the spill.)

Re: The first blue pigment discovered in 200 years is now commercially available

#150
post #148
post #145

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Take a look for yourself: https://www.digikey.com/catalog/en/partgroup/chip-quik-indiu...

Yeah, but that's not for desoldering. It's for things like soldering heat sinks to flip-chip dies, or hermetic sealing cans for sensitive components. I'm not surprised by them selling indium solder wire, but they offer all kinds of solder under that brand.

Oh, ok, thanks for the info.
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