IS 66 : 1993 I

( Reaffirmed 2004 )

Indian Standard
PRUSSTANBLUE( IRONBLUE) FORPAINTS-
SPECIFICATION
(Second Revision )

UDC 667.622117.2844

o BIS 1993

BUREAU OF INDIAN STANDARDS

MANAK BHAVAN, 9 BAHADUR SHAH ZAFAR MARG
NEW DELHf 110002

July 1993 Price Groop 3

Raw Materials for Paint Industry Sectional Committee, CHD 021

FOREWORD

This Indian Standard was adopted by the Bureau of Indian Standards, after the draft finalized by the
Raw Materials for Paint Industry Sectional Committee had been approved by the Chemical Division
Council.
This standard was first published in 1950 and was largely based on the interim co-ordinated draft
produced with the assistance of representatives of manufacturers and of various departments and
authorities of the Government of India by the Co-ordinating Subcommittee of the No. 5 Standing
Committee on.Specifications for Paints and Allied Stores of the General Headquarters ( now Army
Headquarters ), India.
In the first revision, the requirements for oil absorption and pH value had been modified. In this revision
requirement for volatile matter has been modified and an additional requirement for residue on sieve has
been added.
Due consideration has also been given to the need for alignment with IS0 2495 ‘Iron blue pigments for
paints’ published by the International Organization for Standardization ( IS0 ) and this revised standard
substantially corresponds to IS0 2495.
The composition of the committee responsible for the preparation of this standard is given in Annex B.
For the purpose of deciding whether a particular requirement of this standard is complied with, the
final. value, observed or calculated, expressing tbe result of a test or analysis, shall be rounded off in
accordance with IS 2 : 1960 ‘Rules for rounding off numerical values ( revised)‘. The number of
significant places retained in the rounded off value should be the same as that of the spectfied value in
this standard.

i.
h
 IS 56 : 1993

Indian Standard
PRUSSIAN BLUE(IRON BLUE)FOR PATNTS-
SPECIFICATION
( Second 1Revision)
1 SCOPE 4.3 Lead-Free Material
1.1 This standard prescribes requirements and When lead free prussian blue is required, it shall
methods of sampling and test for prussian blue contain not more than 0.03 percent of lead or
( iron blue ) pigment for paints. compound of lead ( calculated as metallic lead )
when tested by the method specified under 26 of
2 REFERENCES IS 33 : 1992.
The Indian Standards listed below are necessary 4.4 The material shall also conform to the
adjuncts to this standard: requirements given in Table 1.
IS No. Title 5 PACKING AND MARKING
33 : 1992 Methods of sampling and test for 5.1 Packing
inorganic pigments and extenders The material shall be suitably packed as agreed
for paints ( third revision ) to between the purchaser and the supplier.
1070 : 1992 Reagent grade water ( third 5.2 Marking
revision )
The containers shall be marked with the follow-
1303 : 1983 Glossary of terms relating to ing information:
paints ( second revision )
4284 : 1967 Methods of volumetric determina- a) Name of the material,
tion of iron b) Indication of the source of manufacture,
c) Mass of the material,
3 TERMINOLOGY
d) Batch No. or lot No. in code or otherwise,
3.1 For the purpose of this standard, the and
definitions given under 3 of IS 33 : 1992 and e) Month and year of manufacture.
IS 1303 : 1983 shall apply.
6 SAMPLING
4 REQUIREMENTS
6.1 Representative samples of the material shall
4.1 Form and Condition be drawn as prescribed under 5 of IS 33 : 1992.
The material shall be in the form of fine dry 7 TEST METHOD
powder free from grit or in such a condition
that it can be readily reduced to the powder 7.1 Test shall be conducted as prescribed in
form by crushing under a palette-knife without IS 33 : 1992 and in Annex A. Reference to the
any grinding action. relevant clauses of IS 33 : 1992 are given in
co1 4 of Table 1 and that of Annex A in 4.2.1.
4.2 Composition
7.2 Quality of Reagents
The pigment shall consist solely of the blue
product formed by the reaction of solutions of Unless specified otherwise, pure chemicals and
iron salts with ferrocyanide or ferricyanide distilled water ( see IS 1070 : 1992 ) shall be
solution. The analysis shall show that: employed in tests.
NOTE - ‘Pure chemicals’ shall mean chemicals that
a) the sum of the basic iron ( as Fe ) and da not contain impurities which affect the results of
iron cyanogen complex [ expressed as analysis.
Fe ( CN6 ) ] is not less than 70 percent.
8 CRITERIA FOR CONFORMITY
.b). The total iron ( expressed as Fe ) is not
less than 30 percent. 8.1 A lot shall be declared as conforming to
this standard if the test results on the composite “\-,
4.2.1 The composition of the material shall be sample satisfy the requirements prescribed
determined as prescribed in Annex A. under 4.

1
IS56: 1993

Table 1 Requirements for Prussian Blue ( Iron Blue ) for Paints

( Clause 4.4 )

Si Characteristic -’ Requirements Method of Test,

No. Ref to Cl No. in
IS33: 1992

(1) (2) (3) (4)

i) Volatile matter, 60°C for 16 hours*, percent 4’0 8
by mass, Max

ii) Oil absorption + 10 percent of approved 10

sample

iii) Colour Close match to the appro- 11

ved sample

iv) a) Tinting strength Not inferior to the appro- 1

ved sample I
b) Tone 13
Equal to the approved /
sample J
V) Matter soluble in water, percent by mass, 2’0 19
MUX

vi) pH value of the aqueous extract 4’5 to 6 21

vii) Residue on 63 micron IS Sieve percent by 0’5 9

mass, Max
*The method given in IS 33 : 1992 (heating at 105 I 2°C) is not suitable as the \vater of crystallization
tends to be lost at such a high temperature and reproduceable results are not obtained. Moreover, it is a fire
hazard.

ANNEX A
( Clauses4.2.1 and 6.1 )

DETERMINATION OF BASIC IRON AND IRON CYANOGEN COMPLEX

A-O GENERAL sodium oxalate to a conical flask, add 50 ml of

water and 10 ml of dilute sulphuric acid ( 1 : 1
A-0.1 Outline of the Method by volume ). Heat the liquid to about 60°C and
Prussian blue is decomposed by cold aqueous titrate with potassium permanganate solution.
caustic potash. The iron cyanogen complex Strength of potassium
a Fe ( CN )6 ] forms soluble potassium ferro- Mx 25
permanganate solution = 67 x V-
cyanide while the basic iron is converted into
insoluble iron hydroxide which may be separated
from the solution of potassium ferrocyanide by where
filtration.
M = mass, in g, of sodium oxalate in
A-l REAGENTS 1 000 ml of solution; and
A-l .l Standard Potassium Permanganate Solution V = volume in ml of potassium permanga-
.(@lN) nate solution required for titration.
Dissolve 3.2 g of pure potassium permanganate
in 1 000 ml of water and allow it to stand for 8 A-1.2 Standard Sodium Thiosulphate Solution
to 14 days. Siphon off the clear supernatant ( O-1N )
solution into a glass stoppered bottle painted
black. Weigh accmately about 3.3 g of sodium Dissolve about 25 g of crystallized sodium
oxalate, previously dried for a few hours at thiosulphate in 1 000 ml of recently boiled vyater
100°C and cooled over fused calcium chloride in in a volumetric flask. Titrate the solution agatist
.a desiccator. Dissolve it in water and make up approximately O-1 N standard solution of iodine
solution to exactly 500 ml. Transfer 25 ml of using starch solution as indicator.
 IS 56 : 1993

A-l .3 Potassium Iodide I -1itre capacity and dilute to 400 ml. Add 15 ml
of concentrated hydrochloric acid ( relative
A-1.4 Saturated Solution of Sodium Bicarbonate density l-16 ) and 45 ml of sodium acetate
A-l.5 Standard Iodine Solution ( @l N ) solution ( 500 g of the pure crystallized salt to
1 litre of water ) and add the permanganate
Dissolve in a 1 000 ml Aask about 12 g of solution in excess until a distinct red-brown
resublimed iodine in a concentrated solution of colour is obtained and the turbidity, first
15 to 18 g of potassium iodide. Make up the formed, disappears. Add 10 ml of a 10 percent
solution to 1 000 ml and standardize it against solution of potassium iodide and allow the
pure dry arsenious oxide. For this, dissolve about mixture to stand for 4 minutes. Titrate the
0.25 g of arsenious oxide, accurately weighed, in iodine liberated by the excess of potassium
the minimum quantity of hot sodium hydroxide permanganate with standard 0.1 N sodium
solution. Cool and neutralize the solution with thiosulphate solution.
dilute hydrochloric acid, using methyl orange
as indicator. Add 10 ml of sodium bicarbonate -4-2.3.1.1 The quantity of potassium permanga-
solution and dilute the solution to about nate consumed as determined in A-2.3.1
100 ml. Titrate the solution against iodine represents not only that necessary for the
solution, using starch solution as indicator conversion of potassium ferrocyamde in
towards the end of the reaction. potassium ferricyanide but also that necessary
for the oxidation of any traces of organic matter
A-l.6 Starch Solution which may be present resulting in too high a
Stir up 3 g of potato starch with 10 ml of a value for the iron cyanogen complex. A precise
l-percent solution of salicylic acid and boil till determination of the actual iron cyanogen
starch is completely dissolved. Dilute to complex can be obtained by following the
1000 ml. procedure described in A-2.3.2.

A-2 PROCEDURE A-2.3.2 Add 10 ml of hydrochloric acid (relative

density 1~16 ), 10 ml of a 10 percent potassium
A-2.1 Decomposition of Prussian Blue iodide solution and 10 ml of zinc sulphate
solution ( 25 g of ZnSO, . 7H,O in 100 ml of
Place about 0.5 g of the pigment, dried as water ) to the solution from the previous titra-
described under 8 of IS 33 : 1992 and accurately tion and allow the turbid mixture to stand for
weighed, in a 200-m] beaker. Swirling the beaker 3 minutes. Determine the liberated iodine by
to ensure complete wetting of the material, add titration with 0.1 N sodium I thiosulphate
10 ml of a 10 percent potassium hydroxide solution.
solution till the colour is destroyed. Filter the
mixture through a large Gooch crucible, packed A-2.4 Calculation
with prepared asbestos, and wash the residue
with water. Use the residue so obtained for the Use the following factors for evaluating the
determination of basic iron and the filtrate results:
for the determination of the iron cyanogen
complex. 4 One millilitre of 0.1 N sodium thiosuphate
solution is equivalent to 0.021 2 g of
A-2.2 Determination of Basic Iron Fe ( CN )a,
Extract the residue in the Gooch crucible with b) One millilitre of 0.1 N sodium thio-
hot dilute hydrochloric acid and determine the sulphate solution is equivalent to
iron in the solution so obtained by any suitable 0*005 585 g of iron ( as Fe ).
method ( see IS 4284 : 1967 >.
c) The sum of the basic iron ( as Fe ) and
iron cyanogen complex [ Fc ( CN )fi 1 is
A-2.2.1 If the acid extract is coloured blue, it is
the sum of the values determined in A-2.2
an indication that the residue has not been
and A-2.3, and
properly washed. The test shall then be repeated.
A-2.3 Determination of Iron Cyanogen Complex 4 The total iron ( as Fe ) is the sum of the
values determined under A-2.2 and the
A-2.3.1 Transfer the filtrate as obtained value calculated for the iron cyanogen
in A-2.1 to a stoppered flask or bottle of aboti complex.

3
IS 56:1993

ANNEX B
f Foreword )

COMMITTEE COMPOSITION

Raw Materials for Paint Industry Sectional Committee, CHD 02 I

Chairman Reprcssnting
SHRI R. K. MARPHATIA Goodlass Nerolac Paints Ltd, Bombay

Mmbers
SARI S. S. ANARA~~~~R
Snnr S. N. BHANDARKAR
SHRI S. K. ASTEANA Ministry of Defence ( DGQA ), New Delhi
San1 A. A. KHAN ( AIfernatc )
SHRI R. BEHL ICI India Ltd, Calcutta
Dn K. V. SES~ADRI ( AIternats )
DR P. G. CHAIJDHRI Garware Paints Ltd, Bombay
S~IRI C. R. THUSIZ ( Alternate )
CrrzcarsT & METALLURGIST I Railwav Board, Ministry of Railways, New Delhi
SHRI M. C. CHOKSI Resins & Plastics Ltd, Bombay
DR A. R. ACHAREKAR ( Altcrnatc )
DR S. M. A. HAMZA Berger Paints ( India ) Ltd, Calcutta
DR A. ROY ( Alfernatt )
INDUSTRIAL ADVISER ( CHEM ) The Development Commissioner ( SSI ,_ 1. New Delhi
DIRECTOR CHEMICAL ( Alt&ats )
SHI~I G. G. JAD~A~ Indian Paints Association, Calcutta
SHRI D. K. ROY ( Alternate )
DR R. K. .JAIN Central Buildings Research Institute, Roorkee
SHRI K. K. ASTHANA ( Alternate )
SHAIJASBIR SINQH Directorate General of Technical Development, New Delhi,
SHRI N. R. NAR AYANAN ( Alternate )
Dn I’. I<. JOY Travancore Titanium Products Ltd, Trivandrum
Snn~ K. GOPALAKRISHNAN NAIR ( Altervnfa .-_- ,1
DR A. B. KARNIX Colour-Chem Ltd, Bombay
,SIXRI S. KAXAL KUMAR ( Alternate )
SHRI A. S. KHANNA Oil Technologists’ Association of India, Kanpur
SHRI SURENDRA GABS ( Alternate )
STIRI I. K. L~OXBA Ministry of Defence ( R & D ), New Delhi
SHRI K. L. B~ATIA ( Alternate )
SARI P. B. PATEL National Test House, Calcutta
Dn S. K. SAHA ( Alternate)
SHRI A. A. RAY.XAERISHNAN National Organic Chemical Industries Ltd, Bombay
SHRI R. B. GAN~ULI ( Altrrnatc )
Srrnr V. R. RATEI Sudarshan Chemical Industries, Pune
SHRI H. K. KHESE ( Alternate )
SARI K. R. SANTHANAN Addisons Paints Ltd, Madras
SHRI K. S. RAMC~ANDRAN ( Alternate )
SHRI M. B. SATYANARAYANA Continental Coatings, Madras
Srrnr P. P. SAXENA Export Inspection Council of India, New Delhi
SHRI KARAX CHAND ( Alternate )
SII~I K. V. SEBASTIAN The Kerala Minerals & Metals Ltd, Kerala
SHRI G. HARINDRAN ( Alternate )
SIXRI 8. B. SEN Coates of India Ltd, Calcutta
SKXI R. G. GANG~ULY( Alternate )
SHRI G. N. TEWARI The Punjab Paint Colour and Varnish Works, Kanpur
SHRI P. K. KHANNA (Alternate )
DE R. B. TIRODEAR Asian Paints ( India ) Ltd, Bombay
SERI V. M. NATU ( Alternate )
Do V. K. VERMA Shriram Institute for Industrial Research. New Delhi
SARI A. P. SIN~H ( Alternate )
Dn R. I(. SE-H, Director General, BIS ( Ex-ojicio Member )
Director ! Chem )
Member Secretary
SHRI R. NARULA
Joint Director ( Chem ), BIS

i
‘:,

4
 IS 56 : 1993

Pigments and Extenders Subcommittee, CHD 021 : 01

Representing
SRILI G. C. DESAI Goodlass Nerolac Paints Ltd, Bombay

Mem hers
S~BI D. K. AQRAWAL Indian Dyestuff Industries Ltd, Bombay
Dn S. P. BASU Phillips Carbon Black Ltd, Calcutta
SHHI L. N. DE ( Allernate)
Dn I’. G. CHATJ~BARI Garware Paints Limited, Bombay
Sakr C. R. THUSE ( Alternate )
SHRI BIIAJ~AT CUOKSEY Hindustan Mineral Products Co Pvt Ltd, Bombay
SHRI HA~ISH Snan ( Alternate )
SEI:I S. P. GOEL Rajdoot Paints Ltd, New Delhi
SH~I J. B. GUPTA Tata Pigment Ltd, Jamshedpur
Srr~tr j. H. KI~ISHNAN ( Alternate )
DR S. IM. A. HAMZA Berger Paints ( India ) Limited, Calcutta
DI< A. GJ~OSH ( Alternate )
Dn P. K. JOY Travancore Titanium Products Ltd, Trivandrum
S>IRI S. D. Por~r ( Alternate )
SHRI V. B. KAPOOR Colour-Chem Ltd, Bombay
SHRI S. KAMAL KGMAR (Alternate )
SHRI V. M. NATU Asian Paints ( India ) Ltd, Bombay
Sanr S. G. SHEVDE (Alternate )
SHRI R. H. PAREEH Pidilite Industries Ltd, Bombay
SHRI V. R. RATHI Sudarshan Chemical Industries Ltd, Pune
Sam H. K. KHESE ( _4lternale )
DR S. K. SAHA National Test House Calcutta
SHRK B. K. B~SWAS ( Alternate )
SHIII K. R SANTHANAM Addisons Paints & Chemicals Ltd, Madras
SHRI P. D. RAXABADRAN ( Alternat )
SHRI M. B. SATYANARYANA Continental Coatings ( P j Ltd, Madras
SHRI K. V. SEBASTIAN The Kcrala Minerals & Metals Ltd, Kerala
SHI~I G. HAR~NDRAN ( Alternafe )
DR Ii. V., SESHAURI 1CI India Limited, Rishra
Dn A. R. BANDYOPADHYAY ( Alternate )
SHRI V. K. VERWA Shriram Institute for Industrial Research, Delhi
SHRI V. K. GUP~A ( Alternate )

5
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Comments on this Indian Standard may be sent to BIS giving the following reference:

Dot : No. CHD 021 ( 0146 )

Amendments Issued Since Poblication

Amend No. Date of Issue Text A&ected

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