![glow in the dark stars glow in the dark stars](https://i5.walmartimages.com/asr/903edb02-e60e-4325-b89c-93ba05c4a3ba_1.5597d82270b11e1a6a9dda3c28174bbb.jpeg)
Transparent objects look cool too, don’t you think? I sealed the beads with acrylic to waterproof them with no noticeable loss of brightness.In this activity, students will learn about phosphorescence and how certain materials can absorb and store energy from a light source. If you coat a surface with phosphorescent paint or powder, try to use one that is white or mirrored for the best glow. I painted 2 coats onto clear acrylic beads. If you’re interested in what I used for the necklace, it was this sample pack of glow in the dark acrylic paints, available at Amazon or directly from the manufacturer. The best pigments are expensive, so if a price seems to good to be true, it probably is. Trying to save money by ordering the pigment and mixing your own formulation is possible, but if, for example, you want to make a water-based paint, you’ll save yourself a lot of disappointment if you order coated particles or pre-mixed paint (made with a formula known to work). Suppliers grade the pigment, with 0 being the best quality, 1 good, and higher numbers less-good. Larger particles glow brightly and for a long time, but also may appear granular (because they are). Also, particle size makes a big difference in how bright the glow will be and how long it will last. Getting a Good Glow PigmentĪs with all chemicals, there are different levels of purity available on the market. So, if you paint stars on the ceiling using paint made from these pigments or get stars made from the material, your “night sky” will glow all night long. You can see in the picture I took of a necklace I made that the glow is bright enough to illuminate the area and cast a shadow! Also, these oxides phosphoresce for a long time… several hours.
![glow in the dark stars glow in the dark stars](http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-N-awhp8eEhg/Ty7qZZTb2OI/AAAAAAAAAyc/Vt1N3Py8n1s/s1600/153_Glow-in-the-Dark+Stars.jpg)
If you’re familiar with the old zinc sulfide stars, you can see modern phosphorescent pigments are way brighter. The green and aqua pigments can get enough energy from sunlight or bright indoor lighting (or your cell phone flashlight). Purple and blue are so close to the ultraviolet, you need the energy to get a good glow. Reference: MSDS Sheets found at Glow, Inc.Īs you might expect, it’s extremely helpful to charge these pigments using a black light. White (fades from white to pale blue glow) – Al 2O 3, SiO 2, CaO, Eu 2O 3, Dy 2O 3.Purple – Ca 2O, SiO 2, Eu 2O 3, Dy 2O 3.True Blue – Ca 2O, SiO 2, Eu 2O 3, Dy 2O 3.Aqua Blue – Al 2O 3, SiO 2, CaO, Eu 2O 3, Dy 2O 3.Green – Al 2O 3, SrCO 3, Eu 2O 3, Dy 2O 3, TiO 2.Some example chemical composition of glow in the dark materials include:
![glow in the dark stars glow in the dark stars](http://img.auctiva.com/imgdata/8/6/6/9/9/6/webimg/610228349_o.jpg)
These pigments usually are damaged by acids and water, so they need to be coated to protect them for certain applications. Uncharged pigments appear as a white powder. Silicon and titanium may also be found in some formulations. The alkaline earths may include strontium, calcium, barium, or magnesium. The specific composition depends on the phosphorescent color. More generally, a phosphorescent pigment is an alkaline earth metal aluminate, typically doped with europium, dysprosium or another rare earth. The best and brightest glow in the dark pigment is a strontium aluminate doped with europium. Modern glowing pigments glow brightly enough to cast a shadow.