The development of the earliest pigments is shrouded in history. Extraction of natural colourants was often a complicated and secretive process. Even today there are processes not fully understood. With the dawn of the industrial age pigment development moved into the laboratory sometimes to synthesise known natural materials, but also with the expansion of organic chemistry, the development of new chromophores. The beginning of the 20th century saw the discovery of and development of copper phthalocyanine, which remains the top selling organic pigment. The search for new chromophores continued and has resulted the emergence of quinacridone and diketopyrrolopyrrole pigments. What can be expected in the 21st Century? In addition to important colour properties such as hue there are many other important attributes ranging from fastness and resistance, to environmental and operational factors. This review will look at current and projected activity based on an analysis of patent applications.
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