Zinc Sulfide White
PW7
Alternate Names
Zinc Sulphide White
Chinese White
Pigment Description
The truly wild claim to fame is this pigment's role in glow in the dark paints. May be part of luminescent, fluorescent, phosphorescent or glow in the dark formulas.
Not to be confused with Zinc Oxide, as the two are different.
Sometimes described as a softer white. Makes lithopone, when combined (co-precipitated) with barium sulfate.
We were shocked to learn that this pigment may be highly toxic-- see Monona Rossol's work for more.
We also found notes in the Artist's Handbook about a hydrogen sulfide gas that is released when heated.
While this bears zinc in the name, it is not the zinc that causes cracking. PW7 is used in lithopone-- see PW5 for information on lithopone. Golden recently included lithopone (just for clarity lithopone is not PW7 but seems to contain it) bound in safflower oil among the whites assessed in their mixing white tests.
Artiscreation mentions its use as invisible ink.
Resources
PW7 pigment data from David G. Myers, The Color of Art Pigment Database, Artiscreation.com/n/nRossol, Monona. The Artist's Complete Health and Safety Guide. New York, NY : Allworth Press, 2001. The book is rather dated, updated information is available from her website.
Stats
Transparency
Semi-Opaque
Toxicity
Toxic, but reports differ
We're erring on the side of caution and listing this as toxic. Sources differ. Monona Rossol's work here which is available on request lists it as "highly toxic by ingestion". More can be found on hazards of Sulphides and zinc as a pigment in the Artist's Guide to Health and Safety. Other sources suggest low solubility here. We are not toxicologists so please consult the relevant experts and MSDS. Treat all pigments and paints with studio safety protocols.
Chemical Name
Zinc Sulphide
ZnS
DISCLAIMER: Please note that we are not experts in health and safety and we are not toxicologists, please consult the proper experts. We are not liable for any issues that may arise from the use of our website or its contents. The information contained in this site is provided without warranty or guarantee of any kind. We do not necessarily endorse any other website that are linked from our site. For any important pigment specs, please reference the manufacturer details. If you discover errors or omissions, please reach out through our contact form. Thank you.
