1 The Interdisciplinary Character of Color Science WALLACE R. BRODE
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Washington, D. C.
The
collected papers presented at the symposium on "Industrial Color Technology," held at the 156th meeting of the American Chemical Society at Atlantic City (September 1968) provide an interesting and instructive aspect of an interdisciplinary subject within various industrial and chemical areas. Chemical spectroscopy has thrived and expanded in the past third of a century since I published "Chemical Spectroscopy," and chemists have taken a leading role in the wide application of spectrochemical analysis in both qualitative and quantitative areas. The identification of elements, compounds, structural forms, functional groupings, and complex molecules has been facilitated by these methods. However, a separate area of physical science known as color involves a quite different technological approach. Color is a visual sensation influenced by physiological, psychological, and physical factors and is developed in the eye through receptors which involve phototropic chemical reactions and nerve transmission of stimulus. Color is appreciated and enjoyed by both scientists and non-scientists;
combinations of color may be beautiful and pleasing to some although to others they may be irritating. Color plays a most important part i n i n dustry as well as art. The fact that scientific deductions can be made from color emphasizes the importance of this physical property. Scientists in various disciplines may draw quite different information from colors, and hence a variety of methods of measurement and description have been developed. For some, color is absorbed radiant energy indicative of chromophoric or resonance structures; for others it is emitted or reflected light, and the chief interest is in the transmitted light rather than the absorbed. Because of the unusual sensitivity character of the eye as an instrument or radiant energy receptor in the evaluation and recognition of color, and the large number of these "instruments" in the hands of nonscientific, albeit sophisticated operators and observers, who have devel1 Johnston and Saltzman; Industrial Color Technology Advances in Chemistry; American Chemical Society: Washington, DC, 1972.
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INDUSTRIAL COLOR TECHNOLOGY
oped sensitivity to color shades and combinations of color, it is highly desirable to separate color description from a more scientific spectrophotometric description in which the receptor, as a photocell or physical receiver, can be instrumented to qualitative and quantitative response over a wavelength range without physiological or psychological effects. The major industries of color photography, color printing, color television, and many other areas depend on the integrating ability of the eye to accept simulation of colors by mixing or chemical chromophores or illuminants. It has become increasingly important to be able to define colors by terms which w i l l permit commercial and easily comprehended definition with an accuracy which permits satisfactory color control and matching in industrial and analytical operations as well as producing satisfactory materials for public acceptance. Symposia i n the Division of Industrial and Engineering Chemistry have, on various occasions, served as the incentive for a new approach to chemistry. A symposium in this Division on dyes, held in September 1918 resulted in the organization of a Section on Dye Chemistry, which held its first meeting the next year. The years that followed were critical in the development of the emerging American dye industry. The Section became a separate Division of the Society i n 1920 and continued as such until 1935 when the Dye Division merged, at its own request with the Division of Organic Chemistry. In a sense this was a move toward chemical composition and synthesis, for the areas of application, description, and classification were being at least partially covered by the Inter-Society Color Council and the American Association of Textile Chemists and Colorists. A n interdisciplinary area which appeared to be essential to almost all areas of science with respect to color was that of description of color. To cover this need to provide a common language of description the InterSociety Color Council ( I S C C ) has had a most important position. The I S C C has been a major factor i n the establishment of illuminant and color standards through the International Commission on Illumination (usually referred to in this volume as " C I E " (from the French terminology Commission International de 1 'Eclairage) rather than " I C I " which is easily confused with a major chemical producer of dyes and pigments. The need for a common language in describing color in the many scientific and industrial areas in which it becomes a descriptive factor resulted in the combination of some 20 scientific and engineering societies' joining together to form an Inter-Society Color Council ( I S C C ) in 1931. Today this group includes more than 30 societies with groups which are interested in oils, ceramics, psychology, architecture, optics, illumination, paints, pharmacy, dyes, textiles, photography, television, and
Johnston and Saltzman; Industrial Color Technology Advances in Chemistry; American Chemical Society: Washington, DC, 1972.
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BRODE
Interdisciplinary Character of Color
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many other areas i n which chemistry is involved with color. However i n 1950 M . G . Mellon comments i n his "Analytical Absorption Spectroscopy" that "Curiously, the American Chemical Society has never cooperated (directly with the I S C C ) although hundreds of its members are engaged in work involving such (color) items." The interest evidenced by this symposium on Industrial Color Technology at the Division of Industrial and Engineering Chemistry program and as published i n this volume, resulted i n inquiry being made to this and other potentially interested Divisions of the Society as to our more formal support to the I S C C . A s an accomplishment during my term of office as President of the American Chemical Society I was pleased to recommend that the A C S become one of the cooperating societies to the Inter-Society Color Council and to note that this action was approved by the Board of Directors i n its September 1969 meeting. Interested Divisions of the Society, including of course the Division of Industrial and Engineering Chemistry, have been asked to recommend members for appointment by the Society to serve as our representatives on the Inter-Society Color Council. It should be noted that the current Secretary and former President of the Inter-Society Color Council is F r e d W . Billmeyer, Jr. who has long been an active member and councilor of the A C S and is professor of chemistry at Rensselear Polytechnic Institute as well as one of the participants and authors i n this symposium volume. Recognition should be made to Ruth M . Johnston who served as chairman of the planning committee of this symposium. Miss Johnston together with Max Saltzman and those whose papers appear i n this volume formed the committee for this symposium. The over-capacity crowd which attended the symposium was a distinct compliment to the program and the importance of the subject to the society members.
Johnston and Saltzman; Industrial Color Technology Advances in Chemistry; American Chemical Society: Washington, DC, 1972.
