Iron oxide is a natural mineral pigment that comes in a variety of colors and shades. The chemical formula is Fe2O3. The most common is the substance of red, brown, yellow and black. In addition, modern industry makes many different pigments using this oxide. To get different shades of the pigment, it is enough to mix it with other mineral dyes. For example, with chromium hydroxides and oxides, ultramarines. The basis of such pigments as ocher, minium, kolkhotar and other dyes is iron oxide.
Iron oxide is used as a dye in the following areas:
- In the construction industry, it is used for painting concrete products, cement mortars, bricks and ceramic products. The most widespread substance was in the production of multi-colored paving slabs. To obtain a rich color, it is added to products in an amount of 2 to 5% of the total mass of the mixture.
- The substance is well combined with various kinds of film-forming agents. Due to this property, it is widely used in the production of paints, primers and enamels.
- Used for painting plastics, linoleum and other products.
- Iron oxide is also used as food coloring E172, in the manufacture of cosmetics, for polishing steel and glass, in the production of ammonia as a catalyst.
Iron oxide, which is used in the manufacture of food and cosmetics, is produced synthetically. This makes it possible to obtain a substance without various impurities, including heavy metals and ferrous oxide compounds.