Question

I am looking for an oxide compound (metal oxide, or similar preferably inorganic) which shows light peak absorption at 450 nm. I have troubles in finding the right compound, as most of the oxides have peak absorption in the UV region at around 350 nm The oxide should be preferably in white color or similar. Is there a compound with these properties? Is there a reason if most readibly available compounds have peak absorption in the UV region?

Answer 1

Finding an inorganic oxide compound with peak absorption at 450 nm is challenging because most absorb in the UV range, particularly around 350 nm. Transition metal complexes or modified titanium dioxide with specific chromophores might exhibit the desired characteristics, but might require custom synthesis.

Step-by-step explanation:

You are looking for an oxide compound with a light peak absorption at 450 nm, preferably white or of a similar color. This characteristic is not common in simple inorganic oxides because most of them have peak absorptions in the UV range, particularly around 350 nm.

The materials absorbing visible light at around 450 nm would typically appear orange or red due to the complementary colors principle. So, finding a white material with this absorption peak can be challenging.

The reason most readily available oxide compounds absorb in the UV range is that coordination compounds often have electrons excited to higher-energy orbitals by UV light.

For the compound to absorb light in the visible range, there must be a suitable energy gap between the electronic states, which is often facilitated by extended systems of conjugated pi bonds or the presence of transition metals with specific d-orbital arrangements.

A potential candidate for absorption around 450 nm might be a titanium dioxide modified with a dye or other chromophore to adjust its absorption properties. However, precise matching of properties including color and absorption peak might require significant material search or custom synthesis.