Victory Day is a common name of many different public holidays in various countries to commemorate victories in important battles or wars in the countries' history.

January 7 in Cambodia[link]

This national holiday was established to commemorate the end of the Khmer Rouge regime in 1979.

April 30 in Vietnam[link]

April 30 is an annual holiday in Vietnam to commemorate the fall of Saigon in 1975 at the end of the Vietnam War. It is commonly known as Victory Day (Ngày Chiến thắng), Reunification Day (Ngày Thống nhất), or Liberation Day (Ngày Giải phóng).

May 7 in Vietnam[link]

In Vietnam, May 9, 1954 marks the victory of Vietnam over French forces at the battle of Dien Bien Phu. This victory ended 80 years of French colonization and began the time of independence for Vietnam.

May 8 in Europe[link]

Victory Day marks the end of World War II in Europe, specifically the capitulation of Nazi forces to the Allies (the United Kingdom, Soviet Union, France, the United States and other principal Allied nations) on May 8, 1945. The British Channel Islands were not liberated from German Occupation until May 9 (Jersey and Guernsey), May 10 (Sark), and May 16 (Alderney).

May 9 in the former Soviet Union[link]

In Russia, Kazakhstan, Ukraine, Belarus and other countries of the former Soviet Union, the day of Victory over Nazi Germany was celebrated on May 9. When the German Instrument of Surrender actually entered into force in the West (May 8, 1945 at 23:01 CET) a similar but entirely separate document had not been signed with the Soviet Union, and it was not signed until the following day. Some post-Soviet countries, most notably the Russian Federation, have continued the tradition. Serbia celebrates May 9 as a national holiday as well. Although not a member of the Warsaw Pact, it was allied with the Soviet Union as a member of the Yugoslav Federation, and it was occupied by German forces from 1941 to 1944. In many cities people gather on the main square with the Serbian army to celebrate the anniversary with war veterans.

May 18 in Sri Lanka[link]

Victory Day marks the end of LTTE in Sri Lanka, specifically the capitulation of LTTE forces to the SL ARMY on May 18, 2009.

June 23 in Estonia[link]

Võidupüha or Victory Day is a public holiday in Estonia, which has been celebrated on 23 June every year since 1934. The date recalls the victory in the 1919 Battle of Võnnu (near Cēsis, Latvia) of the Estonian military forces and their allies over German forces (Baltische Landeswehr) who sought to re-assert Baltic-German control over the region. The battle was part of the 1918-1920 Estonian War of Independence, where the main adversary of the newly independent Estonia was Communist Russia. Today, Võidupüha also marks the contributions of all Estonian nations in their fight to regain and retain their independence.

Estonian celebration of June 23 is ceremonially tied to the following Midsummer Day celebrations on June 24. According to Estonian laws, the state flags are not to be lowered during the night between the days.

August 5 in Croatia[link]

Croatia celebrates the Victory and Homeland Thanksgiving Day and the Day of Croatian defenders on August 5, commemorating the Croatian War of Independence, specifically the liberation of Knin on August 5, 1995.

August 30 in Turkey[link]

Victory Day (local name: Zafer Bayramı) on August 30 is a national holiday in Turkey to commemorate the victory in the Battle of Dumlupınar, the final battle in the Turkish War of Independence in 1922.

September 7 in Mozambique[link]

Victory Day on September 7 is a national holiday in Mozambique to commemorate the signing of the agreement to end the Mozambican War of Independence. The agreement was signed between Portugal and Mozambique in 1974, with independence granted in 1975.

In Portuguese, the official language of Mozambique, the holiday is known as Dia da Vitória.

September 8 in Malta[link]

Victory Day on September 8 is a national holiday in Malta to commemorate the victory of the Knights Hospitaller over the Ottoman Turks in the Great Siege of 1565, as well as the capitulation of Italy in 1943, turning against its former Nazi German ally during World War II thus ending the Second Siege of Malta.

September 8 is also the feast day of the birth of Mary, the mother of Jesus, which is popularly celebrated in Xagħra, Naxxar, Senglea, and Mellieħa on the same day.

The traditional regatta featuring boat races in the Grand Harbour is also held on this day.

December 15 in India and Bangladesh[link]

Victory Day on December 16 is a national holiday in Bangladesh to commemorate the surrender of Pakistani forces to allied Indian and Bangladeshi forces in the Bangladesh Liberation War in 1971. In India, the day is primarily of military significance.

This holiday is known as Vijay Diwas in India and Bijoy Dibosh in Bangladesh.

September 8 in Pakistan[link]

Pakistan celebrates Victory day for Pakistan Navy on September 8 on occasion of success of Operation Dwarka during Indo-Pakistani war of 1965.

Victory Day in other countries[link]

There is also a Victory Day in Egypt on 23 December, commemorating the end of Tripartite Aggression on that date in 1956, and a Victory Day in Angola on March 27. France celebrates it on May 8, to commemorate the German surrender in 1945 (Russia celebrates this on May 9). Italy celebrates Victory Day on November 4, commemorating victory over Austria-Hungary in World War I. Kargil vijay diwas (Kargil Victory Day) commemorates the 1999 Kargil War between India And Pakistan.

This list is incomplete; you can help by expanding it.

Other observances[link]

Victory Day is usually observed in Hawaii and Rhode Island on the second Monday of August. It celebrates the conclusion of World War II, see also Victory over Japan Day. It was a nationally recognized holiday, but it has since been removed because of the nature of the war's ending (i.e. dropping the atomic bomb on Nagasaki on August 9, 1945). Rhode Island retains the holiday in tribute to the disproportionate number of sailors it sent and lost in the Pacific front.

See also[link]

Holidays portal

• Victory over Japan Day
• November 11: Remembrance Day, Veterans Day, Armistice Day
• Liberation Day: List of dates on which countries were liberated from occupiers

External links[link]

• Victory Parade, USSR, 1945 on YouTube

v t e Public holidays in Russia New Year's Day / New Year Christmas Defender of the Fatherland Day International Women's Day International Workers' Day Victory Day Russia Day Unity Day

v t e  Turkey Public Holidays New Year's Day · National Sovereignty and Children's Day · Labour and Solidarity Day · Commemoration of Atatürk, Youth and Sports Day · Victory Day · Republic Day · Ramadan Feast · Sacrifice Feast ·

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Tom Cochrane
Tom Cochrane, Ottawa 2003
Background information
Born	(1953-05-14) May 14, 1953 (age 59)
Origin	Lynn Lake, Manitoba, Canada
Genres	Rock
Occupations	Singer-songwriter, musician
Instruments	Vocals, guitar, harmonica
Years active	1973–present
Labels	Capitol, Universal Music
Associated acts	Red Rider
Website	www.tomcochrane.com

Tom Cochrane, OC (born May 14, 1953) Canadian musician and humanitarian, best known for his hit songs "Life Is a Highway", "Lunatic Fringe", "Human Race" and "I Wish You Well". Cochrane fronted the Canadian rock band Red Rider and has won seven Juno Awards. He is a member of the Canadian Music Hall of Fame, an Officer of the Order of Canada, has an Honorary Doctorate from Brandon University and is an Honorary Colonel in the Royal Canadian Air Force. In September 2009, he was inducted onto the Canadian Walk of Fame.

Biography[link]

Earlier life[link]

Cochrane was born in Lynn Lake, Manitoba, to Violet and Tuck Cochrane, a bush pilot. The family relocated to Acton, Ontario, when Tom was four years old and later to Etobicoke, Ontario. He purchased his first guitar at age 11 by selling a toy train set. Cochrane attended Martingrove Collegiate Institute in the late 1960s. In the early 1970s, he was performing in coffee houses across Canada. He eventually made his way to Los Angeles where he found a job writing theme music for the movie My Pleasure Is My Business, the Xaviera Hollander story. Unable to find steady income from music, Cochrane returned to Toronto, where he drove a taxi cab and later took a job on a Caribbean cruise liner.

Red Rider[link]

After meeting at the famous El Mocambo Tavern in Toronto, Cochrane joined the Canadian Rock Band Red Rider in 1978 and served as their lead singer and main songwriter for more than ten years. Red Rider included Ken Greer, Jeff Jones, Peter Boynton and Rob Baker. Bruce Allen managed the band from their debut until 1985. Cochrane recorded six studio albums with Red Rider plus a live album, a best of album and a box set. By 1986, the band was billed as "Tom Cochrane & Red Rider".

In 2002, Cochrane reunited with his former Red Rider bandmates Greer and Jones and continues to perform with them today. A complete listing of Red Rider's recordings is included below.

Solo career[link]

Already a household name in Canada from his time with Red Rider, Cochrane launched his solo career in 1991 with the release of the song "Life is a Highway". The single became a global success and was followed by the release of his Mad Mad World album, which would reach the six million mark in worldwide sales. The albums Ragged Ass Road, Songs of a Circling Spirit, X-Ray Sierra and No Stranger followed. Cochrane's massive body of music and energetic live shows have established him as one of Canada's most-treasured artists.

Today[link]

An avid golfer, pilot and hockey buff, Cochrane lives in Oakville, Ontario and spends summers at his cottage/studio on the shores of Georgian Bay in Northern Ontario and winters part time at his home outside of Austin, Texas. Tom and his wife Kathleene have two daughters, Cody and Evanne. Cochrane continues to tour and perform in Canada where he remains one of the country's most popular live acts.

Honours[link]

Canadian Music Hall of Fame Induction: Cochrane was inducted into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame in 2003 for outstanding contribution to the greater recognition of Canadian music. The ceremony took place April 5, 2003 at Casino du Lac-Meamy in Gatineau, Quebec. The following night, Cochrane was honoured for his induction in a speech by Jeff Healey at the Juno Awards at the Corel Centre (now Scotiabank Place in Ottawa). Cochrane closed the show by performing a medley of his hits and was joined onstage by host Shania Twain for the final song, "Life Is A Highway".

Order of Canada: In April 2008, Cochrane received the highest honour for a Canadian Citizen when he was invested as an Officer of the Order of Canada. Cochrane was honoured for a lifetime of charity work, his contribution to the arts and for being unabashedly Canadian.

Canada's Walk of Fame: In September 2009, Cochrane was inducted onto Canada's Walk of Fame. The induction was highlighted by a 2-hour nationally televised gala at Toronto's Four Season's Center for the Performing Arts. Anne Murray hosted the event which also included the inductions of Kim Cattrall, Raymond Burr, Blue Rodeo, Dsquared2, Howie Mandel, Robert Munsch and Chantal Petitclerc.

Honorary Colonel: In November 2007, Cochrane was formally invested as an Honorary Colonel (HCol) by the Canadian Air Force's 409 "Nighthawks" Tactical Fighter Squadron. As part of his investiture weekend, Cochrane experienced his second flight in a CF-18.

Honorary Doctorate: In May 2005, Cochrane received an Honorary Doctorate from Brandon University in Brandon, Manitoba. In addition, musician James Ehnes, journalist Henry Champ and actress Shirley Douglas received Honorary Doctorates from the University at the Spring Convocation held May 28, 2005.

Canadian Music Industry Humanitarian Award: In March 2005, Cochrane received the Humanitarian Award at the Canadian Music Industry Association's (CMIA) gala dinner in Toronto during the annual Canadian Music Week Festival.

Charity[link]

Cochrane has been a longtime supporter of World Vision and has traveled to Africa several times. He has also served as the Honorary Chairman of the SuperWalk for Parkinsons and has been a proud supporter of WSPA, War Child, Amnesty International, and the Make Poverty History campaign.

Canada For Asia: On January 13, 2005, Cochrane, his wife Kathleene and Alex Lifeson spearheaded a benefit concert in support of tsunami relief in Asia. 150 Canadian stars appeared including Anne Murray, Bryan Adams, Blue Rodeo, The Tragically Hip, Oscar Peterson, Celine Dion, Rush and Barenaked Ladies. The concert, which was produced and televised by CBC TV, raised over $4 million in pledges.

Live 8 Concert: On July 2, 2005, Cochrane kicked off the Canadian edition of the Live 8 benefit concerts in Barrie, Ontario performing his hits "Life Is A Highway" and "No Regrets". The Live 8 concerts took place in the G8 states and in South Africa to pressure world leaders to drop the debt of the world's poorest nations, increase and improve aid, and negotiate fair trade rules in the interest of the poorest countries.

Discography[link]

Albums[link]

Solo[link]

• 1974 - Hang on to Your Resistance
• 1991 - Mad Mad World
• 1995 - Ragged Ass Road
• 1997 - Songs of a Circling Spirit
• 1998 - X-Ray Sierra
• 2006 - No Stranger

With Red Rider[link]

• 1980 - Don't Fight It
• 1981 - As Far as Siam
• 1983 - Neruda
• 1984 - Breaking Curfew
• 1986 - Tom Cochrane & Red Rider (as Tom Cochrane & Red Rider)
• 1988 - Victory Day (as Tom Cochrane & Red Rider)
• 1989 - The Symphony Sessions (as Tom Cochrane & Red Rider)

Compilation albums[link]

• 1987 - Over 60 Minutes with Red Rider
• 1989 - Anthology 1980-1987
• 1993 - Ashes to Diamonds
• 2002 - Trapeze: The Collection

Singles[link]

Solo[link]

With Red Rider[link]

Music videos[link]

Awards[link]

Additional career highlights[link]

• In 1985, Cochrane participated in the recording of the Northern Lights song "Tears Are Not Enough" with proceeds to Ethiopian famine relief.
• In 1987, Cochrane produced the Grapes of Wrath's second album "Treehouse". It became their breakthrough album and included the hit song "Peace of Mind".
• In 1992, Cochrane sang the Canadian national anthem before game 2 of the 1992 World Series at Fulton County Stadium in Atlanta when The Toronto Blue Jays beat The Atlanta Braves 5-4 on their way to winning their first World Series.
• In the fall of 1989 Tom made his first of many trips to Africa with the faith based NGO organization World Vision
• In the 90's, Cochrane performed at the Kumbaya Festivals in Toronto. The annual concerts were AIDS/HIV fundraisers organized by singer/songwriter Molly Johnson.
• On September 4, 1995, Cochrane's "I Wish You Well" became the first Canadian song to debut at #1 on the RPM Canadian Pop Charts.
• in 1999, Country singer Chris Ledoux released a version of Cochrane's "Life Is A Highway".
• In June 1999, Cochrane was involved in a light plane crash in Montreal, after his plane's engine stalled just after take-off. No one was injured.
• In November 2002, Cochrane performed his song "Just Like Ali" before the legendary Muhammad Ali during a halftime event at a Toronto Argonauts CFL game at Skydome in Toronto.
• In December 2003, Cochrane traveled to Kabul as the key musical guest for a CBC special called, Rick Mercer's Christmas in Kabul.
• In 2005, Cochrane released the Holiday song "Christmas All The Time".
• On January 13, 2005, Cochrane and his wife Kathleene spearheaded the "Canada For Asia" benefit concert in support of tsunami relief in Asia. The concert, which was produced and televised by CBC TV, raised over $4 million in pledges.
• On July 2, 2005, Cochrane kicked off the Canadian edition of the Live 8 benefit concerts in Barrie, Ontario, performing his hits "Life Is A Highway" and "No Regrets". The Live 8 concerts took place in the G8 states and in South Africa to pressure world leaders to drop the debt of the world's poorest nations, increase and improve aid, and negotiate fair trade rules in the interest of the poorest countries.
• In 2006, Rascal Flatts recorded Cochrane's "Life Is A Highway" for the animated Disney motion picture "Cars". The song became a major hit on both the Pop and Country charts in the U.S. and Canada.
• Cochrane joined Rascal Flatts onstage to perform "Life Is A Highway" before a sold-out crowd at Rexall Place in Edmonton on February 24, 2007.
• "Life Is A Highway" was also performed on "America's Got Talent" by Jason Pritchett in the Semi-Final round in July 2007.
• In 2007, Score Golf Magazine ranked Cochrane as Canada's #1 celebrity musician golfer. His close friends Gil Moore of Triumph and Alex Lifeson of Rush were ranked #2 and #4 respectively.
• In December 2007, Cochrane inducted Canadian Superstar Gordon Lightfoot into the Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame at a ceremony in Toronto. Cochrane performed Lightfoot's "Early Morning Rain" during the tribute.
• In February 2008, Cochrane and John Mellencamp toured Canada together performing at major arenas as part of a 12-date double-bill.
• At the 2008 Juno Awards, Cochrane inducted Triumph into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame. Cochrane's longtime friend Gil Moore is a member of the recently reunited Canadian rock band.
• In 2008 & 2009, Cochrane performed free concerts at the Glen Abbey Golf Club in Toronto during the RBC Canadian Open PGA Tournament.
• In 2008, Cochrane recorded "Old Man" for the Neil Young tribute album "Borrowed Tunes II".
• In October 2008, Cochrane performed his song "Big League" at the Vancouver Canucks home opener in honour of Luc Bourdon, a promising young defenseman killed in a motorcycle accident in June 2008.
• In July 2009, Cochrane was invited by his friend Mike Weir to play in the inaugural "Mike Weir Charity Classic" with Michael Jordan, Kevin Costner and several PGA Stars.
• In 2008 & 2009, Cochrane qualified for and participated in the Canadian Senior Men's Golf Championship, the Ontario Senior Men's Golf Championship and the Ontario Men's Mid-Amateur Championship.
• In September 2009, Cochrane was inducted onto Canada's Walk of Fame and received a star on the sidewalk in Toronto's theatre district.
• In October 2009, Cochrane's Life is a Highway was voted #1 road song of all-time in the Econo Lodge "Travelin' Tunes" online survey of more than 20,000 people.
• On November 23, 2009, Cochrane received SOCAN awards for 5 of his songs reaching more than 100,000 plays on Canadian radio including Lunatic Fringe, Big League, Boy Inside The Man and I Wish You Well.
• On November 26, 2009, Cochrane joined World Vision President Dave Toycen to launch "Five for 5" campaign at a media event in Toronto. Cochrane urged Canadians to take 5 minutes to do 5 things to save a child's life.
• On December 12, 2009, Cochrane & Red Rider performed at a massive outdoor celebration to conclude Day 44 of the Olympic Torch Relay on Parliament Hill in Ottawa. Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper addressed the crowd during the event.
• On February 15, 2010, Cochrane & Red Rider performed at Molson Canadian Hockey House in Vancouver during the 2010 Olympic Games. Cochrane was part of a legion of Canadian Music Stars who performed in Vancouver during the games.
• On February 18, 2010, Cochrane was invited to be a part of the charity recording remake of K'Naan's song Wavin' Flag in support of the victims of the earthquake in Haiti. Canadian Music Hall of Famer Bob Ezrin produced Young Artists for Haiti's version of the song featuring many of Canada's biggest names in music. The song debuted at #1 on the Canadian music charts in March 2010.
• On April 23, 2010, Cochrane performed at the 2010 Canadian Olympic Committee's Hall of Fame Induction dinner. Cochrane joined other Canadian stars including Sarah McLachlan, Simple Plan, Ginette Reno, the Canadian Tenors, Annie Villeneuve and Nikki Yanofsky.
• In April, 2010, Canadian Country singer Jaydee Bixby's version of Cochrane's song Boy Inside the Man made the Top 20 on the Canadian Country Music charts.
• In May 2010, the debut CD by Andrew Cole, "Why We Wonder" is set for release. Cole is managed by Tom Cochrane's wife, Kathleene Cochrane. The album features a cover of Cochrane's "Out of My Head".

See also[link]

• Music of Canada
• Canadian rock
• Canadian Music Hall of Fame
• List of diamond-certified albums in Canada

References[link]

This article includes a list of references, related reading or external links, but its sources remain unclear because it lacks inline citations. Please improve this article by introducing more precise citations. (November 2008)

• Canadian Music Encyclopedia entry
• Tom Cochrane official website
• Billboard Magazine official website
• RPM Canadian Music Charts
• Canadian Recording Industry Association official website
• Juno Awards official website
• Universal Music Canada official website
• EMI Music Canada official website
• World Vision Canada official website

External links[link]

• The Official website
• Fan website
• The Tom Cochrane website
• Tom Cochrane discography at Discogs
• Tom Cochrane at Allmusic

Prussian blue
IUPAC name Iron(II,III) hexacyanoferrate(II,III)
Other names Berlin blue Ferric ferrocyanide Ferric hexacyanoferrate Iron(III) ferrocyanide Iron(III) hexacyanoferrate(II) Parisian blue
Identifiers
CAS number	14038-43-8 Y
PubChem	2724251
ChemSpider	20074656 Y
UNII	TLE294X33A Y
EC number	237-875-5
ChEBI	CHEBI:30069 Y
ChEMBL	CHEMBL1200325 N
RTECS number	V03AB31
Gmelin Reference	1093743
Jmol-3D images	Image 1
SMILES [Fe+3].[Fe+3].[Fe+3].[Fe+3].N#C[Fe-4](C#N)(C#N)(C#N)(C#N)C#N.N#C[Fe-4](C#N)(C#N)(C#N)(C#N)C#N.N#C[Fe-4](C#N)(C#N)(C#N)(C#N)C#N
InChI InChI=1S/18CN.7Fe/c18*1-2;;;;;;;/q;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;3*-4;4*+3 Y Key: DNMNDNSFJMUUFM-UHFFFAOYSA-N Y InChI=1S/18CN.7Fe/c18*1-2;;;;;;;/q;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;3*-4;4*+3
Properties
Molecular formula	C18Fe7N18
Molar mass	859.23 g mol−1
Appearance	Blue opaque crystals
Pharmacology
Routes of administration	Oral
Hazards
MSDS	MSDS prussian blue
Related compounds
Other cations	Potassium ferrocyanide Sodium ferrocyanide
N (verify) (what is: Y/N?) Except where noted otherwise, data are given for materials in their standard state (at 25 °C, 100 kPa)
Infobox references

Prussian Blue
— Color coordinates —
Hex triplet		#003153
RGBB	(r, g, b)	(0, 49, 83)
HSV	(h, s, v)	(205°, 100%, 33%)
Source		[1]
B: Normalized to [0–255] (byte)

Prussian blue is a dark blue pigment with the idealized formula Fe₇(CN)₁₈. Another name for the color Prussian blue is Berlin blue or, in painting, Parisian blue. Turnbull's blue is the same substance but is made from different reagents.

Prussian blue was one of the first synthetic pigments. It is employed as a very fine colloidal dispersion, as the compound itself is not soluble in water. It is famously complex,^[1] owing to the presence of variable amounts of other ions and the sensitive dependence of its appearance on the size of the colloidal particles formed when it is made. The pigment is used in paints, and it is the traditional "blue" in blueprints.

In medicine, Prussian blue is used as an antidote for certain kinds of heavy metal poisoning (caesium and thallium).

Prussian blue lent its name to prussic acid, which was derived from it, and to ferrocyanide (originally meaning "blue compound of iron", from Latin ferrum and Greek κυανεος). As ferrocyanide is made of iron and CN ligands, reinterpreting the component "-cyanide" in the compound word, produced the word "cyanide" for compounds containing the CN radical.

History[link]

Prussian blue [Fe₄[Fe(CN)₆]₃] was probably synthesized for the first time by the paint maker Diesbach in Berlin around the year 1706.^[2] Most historical sources do not mention a first name of Diesbach. Only Berger refers to him as Johann Jacob Diesbach.^[3] It was named "Preußisch blau" and "Berlinisch Blau" in 1709 by its first trader.^[4] The pigment replaced the expensive Lapis lazuli and was an important topic in the letters exchanged between Johann Leonhard Frisch^[5] and the president of the Royal Academy of Sciences, Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz, between 1708 and 1716.^[4] It is first mentioned in a letter written by Frisch to Leibniz, from March 31, 1708. Not later than 1708, Frisch began to promote and sell the pigment across Europe. By August 1709, the pigment had been termed "Preussisch blau"; by November 1709, the German name "Berlinisch Blau" had been used for the first time by Frisch. Frisch himself is the author of the first known publication of Prussian blue in the paper Notitia Coerulei Berolinensis nuper inventi in 1710, as can be deduced from his letters. Diesbach had been working for Frisch since about 1701.

In 1731, Georg Ernst Stahl published an account of the first synthesis of Prussian blue.^[6] The story involves not only Diesbach but also Johann Konrad Dippel. Diesbach was attempting to create a red lake pigment from cochineal but obtained the blue instead as a result of the contaminated potash he was using. He borrowed the potash from Dippel, who had used it to produce his "animal oil". No other known historical source mentions Dippel in this context. It is therefore difficult to judge the reliability of this story today. In 1724, the recipe was finally published by John Woodward.^[7][8][9]

To date, the "Entombment of Christ", dated 1709 by Pieter van der Werff (Picture Gallery, Sanssouci, Potsdam) is the oldest known painting where Prussian blue was used. Around 1710, painters at the Prussian court were already using the pigment. At around the same time, Prussian blue arrived in Paris, where Antoine Watteau and later his successors Nicolas Lancret and Jean-Baptiste Pater used it in their paintings.^[10]

"The Great Wave off Kanagawa" by Hokusai, a famous artwork which makes extensive use of Prussian blue.

This Prussian blue pigment is significant since it was the first stable and relatively lightfast blue pigment to be widely used following the loss of knowledge regarding the synthesis of Egyptian Blue. European painters had previously used a number of pigments such as indigo dye, smalt, and Tyrian purple, which tend to fade, and the extremely expensive ultramarine made from lapis lazuli. Japanese painters and woodblock print artists likewise did not have access to a long-lasting blue pigment until they began to import Prussian blue from Europe.

In 1752 the French chemist Pierre J. Macquer made the important step of showing the Prussian blue could be reduced to a salt of iron and a new acid, which could be used to reconstitute the dye.^[11] The new acid, hydrogen cyanide, first isolated from Prussian blue in pure form and characterized about 1783 by the Swedish chemist Carl Wilhelm Scheele, was eventually given the name Blausäure (literally "Blue acid") because of its derivation from Prussian blue, and in English became known popularly as Prussic acid. Prussian blue would also give the name to the ferrocyanide and cyanide family of compounds. Ferrocyanide (which is yellow) was coined as Neo Latin for "iron-containing blue material", since it was first isolated from Prussian blue. Cyanide, a colorless anion that forms in the process of making Prussian Blue, was named, in turn, for hydrogen cyanide (also colorless), and ultimately from ferrocyanide. It is for this reason that cyanide, even though the name of a colorless radical, is a Latinized form of the Greek word for "dark blue."

Production[link]

Prussian blue is produced by oxidation of ferrous ferrocyanide salts. These white solids have the formula M₂Fe[Fe(CN)₆] where M⁺ = Na⁺ or K⁺. The iron in this material is all ferrous, hence the absence of deep color associated with the mixed valency. Oxidation of this white solid with hydrogen peroxide or sodium chlorate produces ferricyanide and affords Prussian Blue.^[12]

A "soluble" form of PB, K[Fe^IIIFe^II(CN)₆], which is really colloidal, can be made from potassium ferrocyanide and iron(III):

K⁺ + Fe³⁺ + [Fe^II(CN)₆]^4- → KFe^III[Fe^II(CN)₆]

The similar reaction of potassium ferricyanide and iron(II) results in the same colloidal solution, because [Fe^III(CN)₆]^3- is converted into ferrocyanide.

"Insoluble" Prussian blue is produced if in the reactions above an excess of Fe³⁺ or Fe²⁺, respectively, is added.  In the first case:

4Fe³⁺ + 3[Fe^II(CN)₆]^4- → Fe^III[Fe^IIIFe^II(CN)₆]₃ ^[13]

"Turnbull's blue"[link]

Ferricyanide ion, used to make 'Turnbull's blue'.

In former times, it was thought that addition of Fe(II) salts to a solution of ferricyanide affords a material different from Prussian blue. The product was traditionally named "Turnbull's Blue" (TB). It has been shown, however, by means of X-ray diffraction and electron diffraction methods, that the structures of PB and TB are identical.^[14][15] The differences in the colors for TB and PB reflect subtle differences in the method of precipitation, which strongly affects particle size and impurity content.

Properties[link]

Prussian blue is a microcrystalline blue powder. It is insoluble, but the crystallites tend to form a colloid. Such colloids can pass through fine filters.^[1] Despite being one of the oldest known synthetic compounds, the composition of Prussian blue remained uncertain for many years. The precise identification of Prussian blue was complicated by three factors:

1. Prussian blue is extremely insoluble but also tends to form colloids;
2. Traditional syntheses tend to afford impure compositions;
3. Even pure Prussian blue is structurally complex, defying routine crystallographic analysis.

Crystal structure[link]

The chemical formula of insoluble Prussian blue is Fe₇(CN)₁₈·xH₂O, where x = 14–16. The structure was determined by using IR spectroscopy, Moessbauer spectroscopy, X-ray crystallography, and neutron crystallography. Since X-ray diffraction cannot distinguish carbon from nitrogen, the location of these lighter elements is deduced by spectroscopic means as well as by observing the distances from the iron atom centers.

PB has a cubic lattice structure. Soluble PB crystals contain interstitial K⁺ ions; insoluble PB has interstitial water instead.
In ideal insoluble PB crystals, the cubic framework is built from Fe(II)-C-N-Fe(III) sequences, with Fe(II)-carbon distances of 1.92 Å and Fe(III)-nitrogen distances of 2.03 Å. One-fourth of the sites of Fe(CN)₆ subunits are vacant (empty), leaving three such groups. The empty nitrogen sites are filled with water molecules instead, which are coordinated to Fe(III).

The Fe(II) centers, which are low spin, are surrounded by six carbon ligands in an octahedral configuration. The Fe(III) centers, which are high spin, are octahedrally surrounded on average by 4.5 nitrogen atoms and 1.5 oxygen atoms (the oxygen from the six coordinated water molecules). Additional eight (interstitial) water molecules are present in the unit cell, either as isolated molecules or hydrogen bonded to the coordinated water.

The composition is notoriously variable due to the presence of lattice defects, allowing it to be hydrated to various degrees as water molecules are incorporated into the structure to occupy cation vacancies. The variability of Prussian blue's composition is attributable to its low solubility, which leads to its rapid precipitation without the time to achieve full equilibrium between solid and liquid.^{[16] [17]}

Color[link]

Prussian blue is strongly colored and tends towards black and dark blue when mixed into oil paints. The exact hue depends on the method of preparation, which dictates the particle size. The intense blue color of Prussian blue is associated with the energy of the transfer of electrons from Fe(II) to Fe(III). Many such mixed-valence compounds absorb certain wavelengths of visible light resulting from intervalence charge transfer. In this case, orange-red light around 680 nanometers in wavelength is absorbed, and the reflected light appears blue as a result.

Like most high chroma pigments, Prussian blue cannot be accurately displayed on a computer display, but this swatch gives a common approximation, the sRGB colour #003153, intended for viewing on an output device with a gamma of 2.2^[18]:

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PB is electrochromic—changing from blue to colorless upon reduction. This change is caused by reduction of the Fe(III) to Fe(II) eliminating the intervalence charge transfer that causes Prussian blue's color.

Uses[link]

Pigment[link]

Because it is easily made, cheap, non-toxic, and intensely colored, Prussian blue has attracted many applications. The dominant uses are for pigments: approximately 12,000 tonnes of Prussian blue are produced annually for use in black and bluish inks. A variety of other pigments also contain the material.^[12] Engineer's blue and the pigment formed on cyanotypes—giving them their common name blueprints. Certain crayons were once colored with Prussian blue (later relabeled Midnight Blue). It is also a popular pigment in paints. Similarly, Prussian blue is the basis for laundry bluing.

Medicine[link]

Prussian blue's ability to incorporate monocations makes it useful as a sequestering agent for certain heavy metal poisons. Pharmaceutical-grade Prussian blue in particular is used for patients who have ingested thallium or radioactive caesium. According to the International Atomic Energy Agency, an adult male can eat at least 10 grams of Prussian blue per day without serious harm. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has determined that the "500 mg Prussian blue capsules, when manufactured under the conditions of an approved New Drug Application (NDA), can be found safe and effective therapy" in certain poisoning cases.^[19] Radiogardase (Prussian blue in soluble capsules ^[20]) is a commercial product for the removal of caesium-137 from the intestine and so indirectly from the bloodstream by intervening in the enterohepatic circulation of caesium-137,^[21] reducing the internal residency time (and exposure) by about two-thirds.

Laboratory histopathology stain for iron[link]

Prussian blue stain

Prussian blue is a common histopathology stain used by pathologists to detect the presence of iron in biopsy specimens, such as in bone marrow samples. The original stain formula, known historically (1867) as "Perls' Prussian blue" after its inventor, German pathologist Max Perls (1843–1881), used separate solutions of potassium ferrocyanide and acid to stain tissue (these are now used combined, just before staining). Iron deposits in tissue then form the purple Prussian blue dye in place, and are visualized as blue or purple deposits.^[22] The formula is also known as Perls Prussian blue and (incorrectly) as Perl's Prussian blue.

By machinists and toolmakers[link]

Prussian blue in oil paint is the traditional material used for spotting metal surfaces such as surface plates and bearings for hand scraping. A thin layer of non-drying paste is applied to a reference surface and transfers to the high spots of the workpiece. The toolmaker then scrapes, stones, or otherwise removes the marked high spots. Prussian blue is preferable because it will not abrade the extremely precise reference surfaces as many ground pigments may.

Analytical chemistry[link]

Prussian blue is formed in the Prussian blue assay for total phenols. Samples and phenolic standards are given acidic ferric chloride and ferricyanide which is reduced to ferrocyanide by the phenols. The ferric chloride and ferrocyanide react to form Prussian blue. Comparing the absorbance at 700 nm of the samples to the standards allows for the determination of total phenols.^[23]

Safety[link]

Despite the fact that it is prepared from cyanide salts, Prussian blue is nontoxic because the cyanide groups are tightly bound to Fe. Other polymeric cyanometalates are similarly stable with low toxicity.^{[citation needed]}

See also[link]

References[link]

External links[link]

• The FDA's page on prussian blue
• The CDC's page on prussian blue
• National Pollutant Inventory – Cyanide compounds fact sheet
• Heyltex Corporation distributors of Radiogardase (Prussian blue insoluble capsules)
• Sarah Lowengard, "Prussian Blue" in The Creation of Color in Eighteenth Century Europe Columbia University Press, 2006