cobalt chromite blue

Home » Products » Pigments Checkers » Pigments Checker » Pigments Checker – Standard – Pigments’ List » cobalt chromite blue

Cobalt chromite blue

This page presents the Spectroscopic analysis of this pigment.
The pigment has been examined using XRF spectroscopy, Raman spectroscopy, FTIR spectroscopy, and Reflectance Spectroscopy. These complementary techniques provide valuable insights into the pigment’s composition and structure.
This page aims to show which analytical methods are most effective for identifying this pigment in artworks and historical materials. By comparing results across different techniques, it serves as a practical reference for Heritage Science, Conservation, and Pigment Analysis.

A cheaper alternative (cobalt chromite) to cobalt cerulean blue (cobalt stannate) (PB35).

Manufacturer / product code: Kremer / Z-C0040
Chemical description: cobalt chromite
Color: blue
Color Index: PB36
More info:

Cobalt chromite blue-green spinel (Pigment Blue 36) represent an important option in the family of blue inorganic pigments. Cobalt chromite blue is a synthetic inorganic pigment formed by high-temperature calcination of cobalt, chromium, and related oxides, creating a spinell-structured material with a stable, mid-blue coloration that often shows slightly greenish undertones. It is commonly described as a more economical alternative to traditional cerulean blue (cobalt stannate, PB35) while retaining strong performance and durability.
Compared with other cobalt blues, cobalt chromite offers excellent lightfastness, chemical inertness, and resistance to heat and weathering, making it suitable for use in paints, coatings, and artistic media where long-lasting color is desired. Its moderate tinting strength and often semi-opaque character can contribute rich, nuanced blue tones in oil, acrylic, or watercolor applications. As part of the broader history of cobalt pigments—which have been prized for centuries for their brilliant and stable colors—cobalt chromite blues provide artists and manufacturers a reliable, vibrant blue option grounded in well-established inorganic chemistry.

Raman Spectroscopy 532 nm – ElviRa Spectrometer for Art

Raman Spectroscopy 532 nm (ElviRa spectrometer) Pigments-Checker Database (74039 downloads )

Raman spectroscopy 785 nm

Pigments (powder, no binder)

Raman Spectroscopy 785 nm Pigments (pure, no binder) (76688 downloads )

Pigments with acrylic binder (Pigments Checker)

Raman Spectroscopy 785 nm Pigments-Checker Database (77615 downloads )

Pure pigments (no binder, just powder)

DOWNLOAD Free Raman Database

DOWNLOAD paper: “Pigments Checker version 3.0, a handy set for conservation scientists: A free online Raman spectra database”

Cerulean blue C0040 Raman Spectroscopy Pigments Checker

Raman spectroscopy 830 nm

Pigments (powder, no binder)

Raman Spectroscopy 830 nm Pigments-Checker Database (62619 downloads )

XRF spectroscopy

XRF Spectroscopy Pigments-Checker Database (88906 downloads )

DOWNLOAD previous database from Pigments Checker V.3 DOWNLOAD paper: R. Larsen, N. Coluzzi, A. Cosentino “Free XRF Spectroscopy database of Pigments Checker” Intl Journal of Conservation Science.

Pigments Checker (TP-MSI calibration card included)

Pigments databases

CAMEO MFA

The Conservation & Art Materials Encyclopedia Online (CAMEO) is a comprehensive, searchable resource providing detailed technical information on materials (pigments), techniques, and tools used in art conservation, preservation, and scientific analysis.

IRUG (Infrared and Raman Users Group) Database
Open-access database of FTIR and Raman spectra for cultural heritage materials. Includes many historical pigments, dyes, and binders.

Learn Technical Photography for Art Examination

Technical Photography is one of the most powerful—and often overlooked—tools for the scientific examination of art and archaeology. If you are a conservator, scientist, or art collector and you are not yet familiar with this method, it is truly a missed opportunity. Using simple, affordable equipment and a clear methodology, Technical Photography allows you to reveal underdrawings, retouchings, material differences, and conservation issues in a completely non-invasive way. Far from being complex or inaccessible, it is an easy entry point into scientific analysis. In many cases, Technical Photography represents the first essential step toward a deeper understanding of artworks and archaeological objects.