What Makes Paint, Paint?

Introduction

• We can paint with various substances like mud, water, ketchup, peanut butter.
• Paint is distinct because of its composition.
• Paint is everywhere: walls, cars, roads, artwork.
• Early use: Over 30,000 years ago for writing and passing information.

Definition & Basic Components

• Definition: A colored substance spread over a surface to leave a thin decorative or protective coating.
• Basic Parts: Binder, Pigment, Solvent.
  1. Binder/Resin: Glue-like substance binding paint components.
     • Historical: Milk, olive oil, eggs, animal glue, wax.
     • Modern: Drying oils (pre-1960), alide resins (common in solvent-based paints), emulsions (water-based paints).
  2. Pigment: Provides the color.
     • Sources: Ground materials or chemicals (e.g., titanium dioxide for white, iron oxide for yellows, browns, reds, oranges).
     • Early pigments: Crushed rocks, plants, berries, blood.
  3. Solvent: Helps paint flow and smooth out.
     • Purpose: To thin the pigment and binder, evaporates after application.

Chemical Elements in Paint

• Elements such as titanium, iron, oxygen, carbon, chromium contribute to different colors.
• Different compounds create varied pigments (e.g., cobalt + phosphate = purple, cobalt + illuminate = blue).
• Essential elements in binders & solvents: oxygen, hydrogen, carbon, potassium.

Paint Testing & Quality

• Important properties: Applicability, distribution, drying time, water/heat resistance, durability, removability.
• Testing methods: Weathering racks to expose paint samples to sun and elements.
• Goals: Ensure durability, monitor color and gloss change, check for bacterial/fungal growth.

Historical Development of Paint

• Early Cave Paintings (35,000 years ago): Found in France, Africa, Spain, Indonesia.
  • Ingredients: Powdered materials, berries, animal fats, blood.
  • Possible purposes: Rituals, knowledge preservation, entertainment.
• Ancient Uses: Egyptian hieroglyphics, Greek, Roman, Chinese paintings.
  • Functions: Document architecture, clothing styles, historical figures.
• Agricultural Era: Shift due to specialized jobs, more leisure time.
  • Development: Early Renaissance (14th-15th century).
  • Innovations: Oil paints for realism and portability.

Modern Paint Production

• Canned Paint: Patented in 1869, mass production introduced.
  • Early formulas: Milk-based, spoiled quickly.
  • Later formulas: Oil-based, commercial sale, contained harmful chemicals (ammonia, lead, borax).
• Health Concerns: Lead-based paint led to health issues, banned in 1978 in the USA.
• Current Production: Organic chemicals, quality tested (durability, resistance, color strength, drying time).
  • Process: High-speed blending, lab testing, packaging, distribution.

Importance of Paint in History

• Paint has played a crucial role from prehistoric times to modern days.
• Significant for recording information, decoration, art, and practical uses.
• Continues to be an indispensable part of human culture and development.