Analysis of the spectral reflectance and color of mineral pigments affected by their particle size

Abstract The color of mineral pigments changes obviously with their particle size. However, how the particle size of these mineral pigments affects the color of the mineral pigment color block remains unclear. Based on optical principles and the physical properties of mineral pigment particles, our analysis found that changes in the particle size not only nonlinearly affect the behavior of light at the first surface of the mineral pigment color block, but also affect the interaction of light with the particles within the body of the mineral pigment color block, ultimately changing the spectral reflectance and color of the mineral pigment color block. Finally, we derived a nonlinear monotonically decreasing relationship between the particle size and the spectral reflectance. The experiment conducted in this article selected six kinds of mineral pigments as color block samples and observed the changes in the spectral reflectance and color value with the particle size. These studies are beneficial for color researchers conducting scientific research related to mineral pigments.