Lithopone is an inorganic white pigment, obtained from co-precipitation of Zinc sulfide (ZnS) and Barium sulfate (BaSO4). Titanium Dioxide (TiO2) has replaced Lithopone as a white pigment in majority applications as TiO2 is more durable. However, it is much cheaper than TiO2 and has advantages such as low binder requirement and good dispensability. As a white pigment, it can improve the substrate's weather resistance, and improve the fungicidal properties of paint formulations. Some of the major applications of Lithopone include manufacturing of paint pigments, plastic & rubber products, paper, printing inks, cosmetics, and leather & linoleum products. It is commercially available under names such as pigment white 5, Barium zinc sulfate sulfide, Becton White, C.I. 77115, Charlton White, Enamel White, and Zincolith. On the basis of content of ZnS, Lithopone is available at 28%-30% Lithopone and 60% Lithopone.
The author thanks Marco Leona, Scientist-in-Charge of the Department of Scientific Research at the Metropolitan Museum of Art for conducting fluorescence spectrometry on Wheel of Fortune and a valuable discussion of the research, as well as Silvia Centeno, Research Scientist at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, who performed Raman analysis on the watercolors and also contributed her insight. The phenomenon of the phosphorescing lithopone was originally discovered during the author's fellowship in the Sherman Fairchild Center for the Conservation of Works on Paper, funded by the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation. The author thanks all her colleagues for their ideas and support during the research of this paper, and special thanks to Rachel Mustalish for her assistance in editing this work.