Pigment Lab Write Up

Introduction: Nails Galore asked us for help in creating a pigment that can be added to a clear lacquer, and it will eventually be used as nail polish. We were asked to make two different pigments. For our first pigment, we decided if we add nickel chloride and sodium hydroxide together, then it will produce sodium chloride and nickel hydroxide and will make blue. For our second pigment, we decided if we add cobalt (II) chloride and sodium phosphate together, then it will produce sodium chloride and cobalt phosphate and will make magenta. In multiple MSDS sheets, it provided the solubility and pigment of each chemical. Provided by the Sodium Phosphate MSDS sheet, sodium phosphate is easily soluble in water and the color appears to be colorless (Material Safety Data Sheet - ScienceLab.com). In

If we add cobalt (II) chloride and sodium hydroxide, then it will produce sodium chloride and cobalt phosphate and create a purple color. The data we collected fully supports both hypotheses. When we mixed the reactants together, they both created the color they were expected to be and what we researched. However, the effectiveness of the nail polish wasn’t what we expected at first. First, the blue polish appeared to have little chunks of the dried precipitate on the nail. Once, it dissolved, then it was smooth for the most. When applied to the nail, it was a little rough, but once you added a second coat you could hardly tell. Second, the purple nail polish was smooth and had no chunks. But when it was applied to the nail, it seemed to be a very faint purple/magenta color. If you wanted the color to really show up, a couple coats of the polish would need to be applied. Although, it felt smooth and there was no chipping. Overall, we created two different precipitates in order for us to create two different colors of nail