Naphthol Red
A synthetic red pigment widely used in car paints and art materials
No single value: Naphthol Red is a material, and its colour varies. The background shows its family, red.
Naphthol Red is a man-made red pigment, often labelled as Pigment Red 170, used in automotive finishes and painting. It is valued for its colour strength and stability, which depend on its crystal form and how it is manufactured.
- Widely used in car paints and artists’ colours
- Made by a synthetic chemical process
- Crystal structure affects colour stability
- Most stable form produced by heating under pressure
What colour is Naphthol Red?
Naphthol Red is a synthetic pigment that gives a strong, vivid red. It is mainly used in car paints and artists’ colours. Its appearance and durability depend on how its molecules are arranged in the solid form. The pigment can take on different crystal forms, which affect how it performs in coatings and paints.
Where does Naphthol Red come from?
This pigment is made in the laboratory, not found in nature. Its name comes from its chemical structure, which includes a naphthol group. The pigment is also known by its industry code, Pigment Red 170. Its development is tied to advances in organic chemistry and the need for reliable, long-lasting reds in industry.
How is Naphthol Red made?
Naphthol Red is created by first changing p-aminobenzamide into a diazonium compound. This is then combined with a special dye precursor to form the pigment. The way the pigment’s crystals are formed during production, especially under heat and pressure, changes its stability and how well it holds its colour.
Where Naphthol Red is used
This pigment is common in car finishes because it keeps its colour well and is resistant to fading. Artists also use it in paints for its bright red shade. The industrial process can be adjusted to produce the most stable form, making it suitable for demanding uses like automotive coatings.
Red around the world
What the red family means from country to country.
The flag uses the four Pan-Arab colours: a red bar at the hoist with green, white and black bands. It was designed by a young Emirati, Abdullah Al Maainah, in 1971.
Politics and protestPrideSource: Flag of the United Arab EmiratesThe flag is a black double-headed eagle on red, the banner of the fifteenth-century hero Skanderbeg. Fans chant Kuq e Zi, red and black.
Politics and protestPrideSource: Flag of AlbaniaArmenian scribes painted manuscripts with vordan karmir, a crimson dye made from an insect that lives on the roots of grasses in the Ararat plain.
Sacred and holySource: Armenian cochinealUnder Juan Manuel de Rosas in the 1830s and 1840s, everyone had to wear a scarlet ribbon to show loyalty to his Federalist party. His enemies, the Unitarians, were tied to sky blue.
Politics and protestFearSource: Juan Manuel de RosasThe flag is red, white and red. Legend says Duke Leopold V's white tunic was soaked in blood at the siege of Acre, all but the band under his belt.
Politics and protestCourageSource: Flag of AustriaRed ochre is used in Aboriginal rock art and ceremony, and is traded over long distances. In the Aboriginal flag the red half stands for the earth and for that ochre.
Sacred and holyNature and renewalAweSource: Australian Aboriginal flagShades and relatives of Naphthol Red
There are several forms of Naphthol Red, called polymorphs, each with a different arrangement of molecules. The most stable and dense form is made by heating in water under pressure. Changes to its chemical groups can make the pigment less stable and more likely to fade, so manufacturers choose the best version for their needs.
Questions people ask about Naphthol Red
What colour is Naphthol Red?
Naphthol Red is a strong, bright red pigment used in paints and coatings.
Where does the name Naphthol Red come from?
The name comes from its chemical structure, which includes a naphthol group, and its red colour.
How is Naphthol Red made?
It is made by converting p-aminobenzamide into a diazonium compound, then combining it with a dye precursor to form the pigment.
What is Naphthol Red used for?
It is mainly used in automotive coatings and artists’ paints because of its strong colour and stability.
Does the way Naphthol Red is made affect its quality?
Yes, the crystal form produced during manufacturing affects how stable and fade-resistant the pigment is.
Good reading and sources
- Naphthol Red on WikipediaEncyclopedia
- More pictures on Wikimedia CommonsPictures
- Wikidata recordOpen data
The facts on this page come from the Wikipedia article "Naphthol Red", written by its contributors and used under the CC BY-SA 4.0 licence, and from its Wikidata record (CC0). Rang rewrote the text in its own words, with AI assistance, and compares every page with the article to make sure no passage is copied. It may be reused under the same CC BY-SA 4.0 licence with a link back.
It may contain mistakes. The swatch is an approximation: named colours are not fixed standards, and every screen shows them a little differently. If something is wrong, tell us. Last refreshed 2026-10-03.
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