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YInMn Blue

A modern, stable blue pigment made from yttrium, indium and manganese oxides

Photograph of YInMn Blue (YIn 1−x Mn x O 3 ) as synthesized in the laboratory.
Photo: Mas Subramanian, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

YInMn Blue is a synthetic blue pigment first made in 2009 at Oregon State University. Its colour ranges from light to deep blue, and it stands out for its stability, safety, and strong reflection of infrared light. The pigment is valued in art and industry for its durability and non-toxic nature.

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  • Discovered at Oregon State University in 2009
  • Made by heating yttrium, indium, and manganese oxides
  • Highly stable and does not fade over time
  • Reflects infrared light, helping surfaces stay cooler
  • Non-toxic and safer than many older blue pigments

What colour is YInMn Blue?

YInMn Blue is a man-made pigment that shows a strong, clear blue, which can be adjusted from lighter to darker shades by changing the mix of its ingredients. It is known for keeping its colour over time, even when exposed to light, water, or acids. Unlike some older blue pigments, it does not pose health risks and is resistant to fading and chemical damage.

Where does YInMn Blue come from?

This pigment was first created in 2009 at Oregon State University by Mas Subramanian and Andrew E. Smith. The name comes from the elements used: yttrium, indium, and manganese. Its discovery led to further research into related pigments in other colours by adjusting the same crystal structure.

How is YInMn Blue made?

YInMn Blue is produced by heating a mixture of yttrium oxide, indium oxide, and manganese oxide to about 1,200°C. The resulting compound forms a unique crystal structure where manganese ions are arranged in a way that gives the pigment its blue colour. The exact shade can be controlled by changing the ratio of indium to manganese.

Crystal structure of YInMn Blue
Crystal structure of YInMn Blue. Photo: Jtangosu, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Where YInMn Blue is used

This pigment is used in artists' paints and coatings for buildings, especially where a stable and safe blue is needed. Its ability to reflect infrared light makes it useful for surfaces that stay cooler in sunlight. Although it has been used in some art materials, the supply remains limited and it is not yet widely available.

Blue around the world

What the blue family means from country to country.

🇦🇺 Australia

To be true blue is to be honestly and loyally Australian. The phrase is older than the country, but Australians have made it their own.

Politics and protestTrustSource: True Blue (John Williamson song)
🇦🇺 Australia

The Torres Strait Islander flag has a blue band for the sea between green bands for the land. A white dhari, a dancer's headdress, sits at the centre.

Politics and protestNature and renewalSource: Torres Strait Islander flag
🇺🇸 United States

The flag's colours have no official meaning. For the Great Seal of 1782, though, blue was said to stand for vigilance, perseverance and justice, white for purity and red for hardiness and valour.

Politics and protestTrustSource: Flag of the United States
🇦🇫 Afghanistan

Lapis lazuli has been mined in the mountains of Badakhshan for more than six thousand years. Ground to powder it gave ultramarine, the costliest blue in European painting.

Royalty and powerSacred and holyAweSource: Lapis lazuli
🇦🇫 Afghanistan

The chadari is a full-length covering for women with a mesh panel over the eyes. In Kabul and the north it is most often a light blue.

Protection and healingSource: Burqa
🇦🇲 Armenia

The blue band of the flag stands for the wish of the Armenian people to live under peaceful skies. The red above it is for the highlands and the struggle to survive.

Politics and protestHopeSource: Flag of Armenia

More on what blue means

Shades and relatives of YInMn Blue

YInMn Blue is related to other blue pigments such as Manganese Blue and cobalt blue, but it is safer and more stable. By altering the formula, similar pigments in green, purple, and orange have been made. It is sometimes confused with other synthetic blues, but its chemical makeup and properties set it apart.

Colours that go with YInMn Blue

ComplementaryIts opposite on the wheel
AnalogousIts neighbours
TriadicThree evenly spaced
Split complementaryEither side of its opposite
TintsLighter
ShadesDarker
White text 7.88:1passes AAA
Black text 2.67:1fails

Harmonies are worked out from the value #2E5090. Contrast ratios follow the WCAG 2 formula.

Questions people ask about YInMn Blue

What colour is YInMn Blue?

YInMn Blue is a strong blue pigment that can range from light to deep blue, depending on how it is made. It is known for its clear, intense shade.

Where does the name YInMn Blue come from?

The name is formed from the chemical symbols of its main ingredients: yttrium (Y), indium (In), and manganese (Mn).

How is YInMn Blue made?

It is created by heating oxides of yttrium, indium, and manganese to high temperatures, which produces a stable blue pigment with a unique crystal structure.

Why is YInMn Blue important?

It offers a safe, durable alternative to older blue pigments, does not fade, and reflects infrared light, making it useful in art and energy-saving coatings.

Is YInMn Blue widely available?

The pigment is still produced in limited quantities, so it is not yet common in art supplies or industry.

Good reading and sources

Where this page comes from

The facts on this page come from the Wikipedia article "YInMn Blue", 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.

More of the blue family

All of blue
Blue Lapis lazuli A deep blue stone prized for jewellery and the source of ultramarine pigmentColour named from nature · 🇦🇫 Afghanistan +5 #6A5DFF Indigo A deep blue named for the dye once exported from IndiaNamed shade · 🇮🇳 India +5 Blue Azurite A deep blue copper mineral once prized as a pigment and gemstonePigment · 🇫🇷 France +5 Blue Methylene blue A synthetic blue dye and medicine first made in 1876Dye Blue Indigo A deep blue dye from plants, now mostly made synthetically and known for colouring denimDye · 🇮🇳 India +5 #120A8F Ultramarine A deep blue pigment once made from lapis lazuli, prized for centuries in artPigment · 🇦🇫 Afghanistan +2 #003153 Prussian blue A deep blue pigment first made in Berlin in the early 1700sPigment · 🇯🇵 Japan #007FFF Azure A clear sky blue, halfway between blue and cyan on the colour wheelNamed shade · 🇮🇹 Italy +2

More colours tied to the United States

The colours of the United States
#FF0000 Red A primary colour seen in light, pigment, and tradition worldwideBasic colour · 🇺🇸 United States +5 #FFFF00 Yellow A primary colour between green and orange, seen in sunlight, leaves, and pigmentsBasic colour · 🇫🇷 France +5 #800080 Purple A cool colour between red and blue, long linked with royalty and rarityBasic colour · 🇱🇧 Lebanon +5 Red Cinnabar A scarlet to brick-red mineral and the main source of mercury and vermilion pigmentColour named from nature · 🇪🇸 Spain +5

Photo credits on this page

The small pictures above come from Wikimedia Commons under free licences. Some are cropped to fit.

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