As most of know, glow sticks are pieces of plastic tubes that, when activated, produces light that lasts for hours. It has several applications including signalling, recreation and lighting for campers, military and police. They create negligible heat and are non-flammable and hence safe to use in virtually all types of conditions.
So geeks like us, unsatisfied by the single-usability of them, may wonder what if we could make one on our own!
The property of producing light through a chemical reaction is known as Chemiluminescence. These reactions chiefly constitute a a few chemicals and a chemiluminescent dye. The chemicals react with each other and provide energy to the dye, this in turn activates it to a quantum high energy state. Since the dye cannot remain in that state they immediately returns to its former low energy state and a photon is released in the process. This free photons is what makes the glow appearance.
Commercial glow sticks usually has a chemical called TCPO as the starter and a mix of stabilizers and bases. There are a multitude of dyes that decide what colour to be produced for the use. Finally Hydrogen peroxide initiates the reaction and immediately light is produced. Glow sticks come premixed with these chemicals inserted with a glass tube filled with hydrogen peroxide. You have to manually bend the tube to break the glass tube inside releasing hydrogen peroxide in the process and activating the reaction. That's the cracking sound you hear. Hydrogen peroxide and the rest of the chemicals have different densities so you have to break the glass tube entirely and mix the solution vigorously to produce the maximum and a uniform output.
So can we make these glow "solutions" ourselves? The answer is: YES!!!
NurdRage has come up with a tutorial video to make these chemical solutions yourselves including the quantity of chemicals you need to purchase. Check it out:
He has also made another video to make TCPO on your own if its unavailable in your area.
Let me tell you that all of these are not regular household chemicals. Its practically a waste of money to buy these reagents in bulk. Hey! At least you can impress your friends in a party or something yes??? Play it safe.
So geeks like us, unsatisfied by the single-usability of them, may wonder what if we could make one on our own!
The property of producing light through a chemical reaction is known as Chemiluminescence. These reactions chiefly constitute a a few chemicals and a chemiluminescent dye. The chemicals react with each other and provide energy to the dye, this in turn activates it to a quantum high energy state. Since the dye cannot remain in that state they immediately returns to its former low energy state and a photon is released in the process. This free photons is what makes the glow appearance.
Commercial glow sticks usually has a chemical called TCPO as the starter and a mix of stabilizers and bases. There are a multitude of dyes that decide what colour to be produced for the use. Finally Hydrogen peroxide initiates the reaction and immediately light is produced. Glow sticks come premixed with these chemicals inserted with a glass tube filled with hydrogen peroxide. You have to manually bend the tube to break the glass tube inside releasing hydrogen peroxide in the process and activating the reaction. That's the cracking sound you hear. Hydrogen peroxide and the rest of the chemicals have different densities so you have to break the glass tube entirely and mix the solution vigorously to produce the maximum and a uniform output.
So can we make these glow "solutions" ourselves? The answer is: YES!!!
NurdRage has come up with a tutorial video to make these chemical solutions yourselves including the quantity of chemicals you need to purchase. Check it out:
He has also made another video to make TCPO on your own if its unavailable in your area.
Let me tell you that all of these are not regular household chemicals. Its practically a waste of money to buy these reagents in bulk. Hey! At least you can impress your friends in a party or something yes??? Play it safe.
Enjoy reading and be open to the things that world has to offer.
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