Anthraquinone Scarlet: Spectroscopic Analysis Insights

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PR 168 – anthraquinone scarlet

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.

Manufacturer/ product code: Kremer / 23200
Chemical Description: brominated anthranthrone;
Color: red
Color Index: PR 168
Date: 1913

PR 168 – Anthraquinone Scarlet is a synthetic organic pigment based on anthraquinone chemistry, a class renowned for producing highly stable and intensely colored reds. Developed to meet the demand for durable, high-chroma red pigments, PR 168 occupies an important position between traditional organic reds and modern high-performance pigments used in demanding industrial environments.

Chromatically, PR 168 presents a vivid scarlet red with a slight orange bias, combining brightness with notable depth in masstone. It is generally semi-opaque, offering good hiding power while still allowing controlled modulation in mixtures. Compared to many azo reds, anthraquinone scarlet displays superior clarity and a cleaner hue, making it particularly effective in solid passages of bright red as well as in mixtures requiring strong, warm red components. When mixed with yellows, it yields saturated oranges, while combinations with blues or blacks produce rich, neutralized reds and deep browns.

From a technical perspective, PR 168 is valued for its excellent lightfastness, thermal stability, and resistance to chemicals and solvents. These properties have made it widely used in plastics, coatings, and printing inks, where long-term color retention is critical. In artists’ paints, PR 168 is appreciated for its reliability and chromatic strength, representing the high durability typical of anthraquinone-based pigments.