Optical brighteners are chemical compounds that, unlike pigments, are not colored but absorb ultraviolet (UV) light and re-emit it as visible blue-violet light. This process makes materials like paper, textiles, and plastics appear brighter and whiter by counteracting their natural yellowish tint.
Optical brighteners are chemical compounds that, unlike pigments, are not colored but absorb ultraviolet (UV) light and re-emit it as visible blue-violet light.
This process makes materials like paper, textiles, and plastics appear brighter and whiter by counteracting their natural yellowish tint. They are sometimes called fluorescent whitening agents.
OBAs absorb UV light, which is invisible to the human eye, and then release energy as visible blue light through a process called fluorescence.
This blue light mixes with the material's reflected white light, compensating for any yellow tones and creating a brighter, "whiter-than-white" appearance.
They are widely used in industries such as: