What is the name of glow-in-the-dark paint? What kind of paint glows in the dark: tips and warnings. Scope of application of luminescent paints
During repair work, interior decoration, designers and craftsmen use fluorescent paint. What is it? Does spray paint glow in the dark?
This article will answer these and other questions regarding fluorescent paint.
What is it?
Fluorescent paint coatings, or phosphor-based paints, are a special type of material that has a special reaction to light rays. When simple light rays or ultraviolet radiation are directed at the paint, the volume of the image increases and the brightness increases many times.
The use of fluorescent paints has become common in the work of graphic artists and designers who transform ordinary gray rooms into spaces that attract attention and cause delight.
Properties
Fluorescent paints are endowed special properties– luminescence. This is the effect of a special glow at night. During the day, a surface painted with this paint accumulates light energy, and releases it at night. Shimmer in different shades and the painted surface can glow in the dark for up to twelve hours.
Everything around you glows under ultraviolet light. To charge the glow for the whole night, it only needs 15 minutes of daylight.
In addition, included in paint and varnish product The pigment has another unique property - it gives the painted surface or pattern an acidic color saturation. The color range is wide - from raspberry to lemon shades.
TO unique properties fluorescent coloring agents can be classified as:
- Reflective effect which can reach 150-300%. To understand the uniqueness, one should compare this effect with regular paint, for which it barely reaches 85%.
- Completely safe to use as there are no harmful components in the composition.
- The glow-in-the-dark effect can last quite a long time.
How is it different from fluorescent?
Glowing colors have long taken their place of honor in modern world, permanently settling in many industries and directions. There are simply no limits to the use of paints today - they are used on land, under water, in space.
There are two types of luminous paint and varnish coatings, which have significant differences:
- luminescent;
- fluorescent.
Luminescent paint- This paint material, which is based on a phosphor. Products or surfaces painted with it glow in the dark. Often used by artists to create drawings and paintings. The pigment it contains nourishes throughout the day solar energy or bright artificial lighting, and at night it illuminates both the painted surface and everything around.
The features of this paint include:
- pigment size equal to five microns;
- smoothness and perfect evenness of the surface on which the paint is applied;
- half-hour recharge for 12-hour glow;
- the presence of a greenish and bluish glow, which is present due to the phosphor;
- long term paint service, which reaches up to 30 years;
- frost resistance;
- moisture resistance;
- absence of toxic substances that negatively affect human health;
- high cost.
Fluorescent paint – coloring material, which is not powered by solar energy, but shines when exposed to ultraviolet rays. The fluorescent contained in the composition does not glow, but only reflects the light spectrum.
The features of this paint are:
- continuous glow under the influence of ultraviolet rays;
- color palette includes eight bright colors, as well as many different shades formed when mixing paints;
- the pigment size of the finished paint reaches 75 microns;
- when hit sun rays fluorescent paint fades and fades;
- cannot withstand high temperatures and simply collapses when exposed to extremes;
- affordable price segment.
If we talk about whether luminous paint is harmful to health, the answer is obvious - no, so its range of applications is very wide.
Species
Today, fluorescent paint is presented on the market in four main types:
- Acrylic enamel for use in room decoration. Often used when updating or changing the interior.
- Acrylic enamel, which is intended for painting house facades.
- Aerosol paint containing urethane and alkydane. It is a universal paint coating. This type of coating is produced in cans that are convenient for use.
- Invisible colors. They are almost invisible on light surfaces, but this is during the daytime. IN dark time days, they acquire a whitish tint in the form of chaotic stains. They are often used by designers in exclusive projects. This paint has also found application in illuminating road signs.
Enamel for decorating interior items can be applied to almost any surface, be it wood, plasterboard surfaces, paper, stone. The exceptions are plastic and metal surfaces.
The color shade of acrylic enamel is determined by its composition, which includes acrylic as a base and luminescent pigment particles. New shades are obtained by mixing existing colors.
The paint does not have an unpleasant pungent odor. It is not toxic. Disadvantages include low moisture resistance, so it is better not to use it in the bathroom or swimming pool.
Acrylic enamel, intended for painting building facades, is very resistant and can withstand various temperature regime. It does not fade and is quite resistant to cleaning and disinfection agents. Cleaning a house painted with this enamel will not be difficult.
Facade paint has no odors. It has excellent vapor permeability. It fits well concrete surface, galvanized metal, which cannot be said about many other types of paint and varnish coatings.
If the purpose of the paint is to paint a picture on the wall of a house, then it must first be diluted with liquid (plain water).
Aerosol paint, which belongs to the class of universal coloring agents, has a wide range of uses. They are used for interior and exterior work. The process of applying this paint is simplified due to the fact that it is produced in small cans. Aerosol paint can be applied to many types of surfaces:
- glass;
- plastic;
- tree;
- wall surface.
They are ideal for use in the bathroom, swimming pool, toilet, as they have the highest vapor resistance.
Invisible paint is a very popular type of paint coating.. She has a rich range of colors. Ordinary white walls or ceilings during the daytime magically turn into masterpieces of designers and artists at night, shining different colors. All this thanks to ultraviolet radiation.
Colors
Color palette fluorescent paint is represented by a small number of colors, including yellow, red, blue, orange, white, purple. The surprising fact is that purple shade is the most faded of the entire presented color palette.
The color can change from an initial colorless to an acidic tone, and when the action of ultraviolet rays wears off, the acid becomes colorless again. Also, achromatic (colorless) colors are surprisingly transformed into yellow, green, and orange.
All fluorescent paints are divided into chromatic and achromatic. Chromatic ones enhance tone due to the action of ultraviolet rays. For example, red paint becomes even brighter and more saturated, but the tone does not change. Achromatic paints are the transformation of colorless tones into rich ones.. For example, it was colorless, but became bright orange.
Also, fluorescent paint and varnish coatings have the property of transforming from one shade to another - it was blue, it became green. Invisible or transparent fluorescent paint has no color of its own in daylight. The shade appears at night.
Manufacturers
Well-known manufacturers of aerosol painting materials in cans are two brands - Kudo and Bosny. Also at specialized points of sale of this type of product you can find the following trademarks, like Noxton, New Ton, Acmelight, Tricolor, “Champion” and others.
Application
The scope of application of luminous coloring materials is very wide. She came to us from ancient times. Once upon a time, African tribes loved to use it to paint their bodies and faces. Gradually, the unusual coloring material became popular throughout Europe, and then throughout the world.
A separate direction has been developed in painting - fluorescent. Its representatives are talented painters A. Thompson, B. Varnaite.
Glowing paint designed to obtain original decorative effects. This substance tends to glow in the dark, turning an ordinary room into a place from some kind of fairy tale. However, luminescent paint is used not only for interior decoration. Glowing mixtures can give a unique appearance any object or surface.
Luminescence refers to the ability of a substance to emit light in the dark due to previously accumulated energy. Luminescent dyes contain special pigments (luminophores) that perform this function. Their structure “accumulates light” during the day, and with the onset of darkness, a bright glow appears on the surface of the material.
The process of collecting/emitting light with a phosphor is cyclical, so phosphor paint can “work” for a very long time. Phosphor is a chemically and physically stable chemical compound. It can last up to thirty years. To “charge” only fifteen to twenty minutes is enough. The treated surface will glow for up to eight to nine hours. The intensity of the glow is directly dependent on the concentration of the luminous pigment in the mixture.
Luminescent materials operate in a similar way to phosphorescent ones. However, phosphorus paints contain phosphorus, which can pose a hazard to human health. Therefore, such compositions are not used very often and only for exterior finishing. But phosphor-based compositions are considered absolutely safe.
Scope of use
In addition to the phosphor, such paints contain a transparent varnish, the properties of which determine the scope of application of a particular material. Glowing paint can be easily selected for almost all types of surfaces - plastic and metal, plaster and concrete, wood and plasterboard, wallpaper and textiles, ceramics and glass.
It is noteworthy that even living plants can be treated with a luminescent mixture and used for body art. However, it must be a dispersion on water and acrylic base, which is completely harmless to living organisms.
So, luminescent paint is used in the following cases:
- when marking highways and road signs;
- when painting fencing structures;
- for processing interior items;
- for decoration of interior floors, ceilings and walls;
- when creating scenery and costumes for theatrical performances;
- in the field of floristry;
- V landscape design;
- in the production of advertising products (from souvenirs to signs);
- in car tuning;
- in the manufacture of protective clothing for emergency and road service employees.
Today there are many types of luminous paint on sale. They can all be divided into two categories:
- Translucent or colorless. These are varnish compositions that are almost invisible in daylight.
- Multi-colored. Such enamels contain not only a phosphor, but also a color (dye). During the daytime, such compositions look like ordinary paints, and at night they begin to emit a glow.
In addition, phosphor materials differ in their user properties and composition:
You can make glowing paint yourself at home. For this purpose, you must first purchase a phosphor, a special solvent and a transparent varnish mixture. To dilute the components you will also need a glass or ceramic container.
The phosphor can be purchased online or in store construction goods. This is a rather expensive material, but 100 grams of powder composition is enough for about 8 square meters surfaces. The cost is directly dependent on the shade of the glow: the cheapest pigments are white, blue and light green; blue, orange, green and red will cost slightly more.
The varnish must be selected in accordance with the surface being treated. Otherwise, the finished paint layer will peel off.
So, the production of phosphor paint at home is carried out according to the following scheme:
- Pour the varnish into a container.
- Pour in phosphor powder. Optimal ratio- 30% dye and 70% varnish.
- Add a small amount of solvent to the solution (no more than 2% of the total volume).
- Mix the composition.
- If you need to get a mixture with one color or another, then you need to additionally add color to the container.
Paint made in this way is used and stored in the same way as ordinary varnish..
Before making phosphor paint, it is recommended to calculate how much it will be needed for processing. It may be much cheaper and easier to purchase ready mixture. In addition, branded paint will be of much higher quality than “draft” paint, and the color of the emitted light can be selected immediately, without resorting to experiments. And having several bottles of luminescent paint at your disposal, you can easily create an original little thing, unique interior or a very memorable tuning.
The most convenient and fastest solution is to use a spray can for application.. It can be used to treat any surface. The mixture must be applied in an even layer on a completely dry and cleaned base. It is recommended to shake the can before use, otherwise the substance may come out unevenly. Before applying the second layer, at least one and a half hours must pass after applying the first.
If you have a desire to use phosphorescent paint rather than luminescent paint, then you need to remember all the safety measures, since these materials are dangerous and are used only in rooms with good ventilation or outdoors. When working with such substances, you must wear a respirator, safety glasses and rubberized gloves.
materials on the topic
Researchers at Chung Hsing National University of China reported the creation of a technology that allows the reflective properties of glass microspheres or microprisms to be retained in reflective materials when a dye is added. While working on this technology, experts started from the structure of the insect's eye, reports the American Chemical Society (ACS).
The polymer azobenzene, currently being used in research as a potential future component in paint products, can be transformed in an environmentally friendly process from a solid to a liquid using light and at room temperature.
The future of epoxy curing agents in the paint industry looks promising, according to a new market report published by Lucintel. The following agents are especially promising: polyamide, aliphatic amines, cycloaliphatic amines, phenalkamine, amidoamine, dicyandiamide and phenol. The epoxy curing agent market in the paint and coatings industry is expected to reach $1.644 million by 2021 at a CAGR of 4.4% from 2016 to 2021. The main reasons for the market growth are the growth of end-use industries and the increasing use of high-performance epoxy coatings.
What can you not find on a modern construction market. Diversity finishing materials allows you to realize all kinds of interior ideas. One of the interesting and lately A very popular element is luminescent paint - it can be used both for the facade of the house and in interior design inside the house. The peculiarity of this element is that the paint glows in the dark and that is why the cost of the material is quite high. I was very interested in using luminescent paint and, having found out the cost of all the components for preparing the mixture with my own hands, I realized that it would be more profitable to make the paint myself. Armed with the help of a friend, I began to study the properties, characteristics of the material and options for making luminescent paint with my own hands.
Classifications of luminescent paints
The essence of a luminescent material is that a pigment is added to the coloring composition, which is based on a phosphor. Thanks to this, in the dark, objects painted with such compositions can glow for a long time.
Luminescent paint in the bedroom
Important! A phosphor is a substance that absorbs light and releases it in the dark, creating light radiation.
Since progress does not stand still and sometimes it seems that chemists are able to invent materials for coating absolutely any surface, we can talk about several types of luminescent material:
- For metal surfaces - maybe you have ever noticed racing cars emitting light at night
- For fabric – very popular in the textile industry
- For glossy surfaces and glass - use glass panels, which are also highlighted, this is quite on the verge of exclusivity, and the use of such ceramic tiles so in general
- Water-based luminous paint
- Paint for wood - can be used when painting fences, facades and fences
- There are even emulsions for concrete - it’s absolutely fantastic, I thought when I learned about such possibilities.
- For plastic
Important! For the phosphor, just a fifteen-minute exposure to light is enough and it will give it off for 8 hours. Agree, a good advantage for the powder.
Just for fun, I studied the market and compiled a table approximate cost phosphor:
By the way, luminescent paints can be bought in spray cans, the spraying of which is very quick and convenient. Therefore, if you want to arrange small area surfaces with your own hands, then feel free to purchase the material in cans. But do not forget that the cost of such luminescent paint will be higher.
Features of the material and general misconceptions
Luminescent paint in the nursery
Since the paint contains not only our luminous pigment, but also a varnish, it should be noted that these varnishes are used for the base of such materials:
- Alkyd
- Acrylic
- Polyurethane
It is from this basis that the pricing policy for luminescent paint is built. The service life also depends on it. coloring composition. There is an opinion on the Internet that such mixtures are quite harmful and can harm human health. But in fact, this is a big misconception, since the phosphor powder itself is completely harmless. Do not confuse phosphor with phosphorus, because it is the latter that is truly harmful. Remember, the harmfulness of the coating used depends only on the varnish that is used as the basis for the luminescent paint.
The photoluminescent mixture is charged from ambient light, but there are also electroluminescent solutions that work on the principle of charging from electric AC. This material was invented specifically for cars, or rather their bodies. Thanks to the principle of operation, such paint can glow at any time of the day and in any lighting.
Let's look at the areas in which photoluminescent mixtures can be used:
- Using the material, you can create unique designs, decorate walls and ceilings with it, highlight certain areas in overall design rooms
- Using luminescent, they paint furniture and interior items
- Added to nail polishes and used in body art
- Decorate wooden fences and gazebos
- Color artificial flowers
- You can dye fabrics, clothes, backpacks
- Silk screen printing for posters, calendars and notepads
- Aerosol cans are used for cars and bicycles, as well as for their accessories.
We make our own luminescent paint
Luminescent paint on the walls
As I already said, purchasing a dye will be more expensive than creating it yourself. If this is not your thing, then don’t worry. On at the moment There are a huge number of manufacturers who produce their products, both in liquid form and in aerosol cans.
But if you are planning to make a luminescent mixture with your own hands, then first you should decide on the choice of base - varnish. Can be purchased in full transparent material, and you can choose the desired shade. Then you purchase luminescent pigment and stock up on enamel or ceramic containers.
The cooking technology is as follows:
- I poured the base - varnish - into the already prepared dishes.
- Next, I added the pigment and mixed everything thoroughly. On average, you need to adhere to the proportions of 15-50% of the pigment from the total mass of the mixture. I added about 40%, but I read somewhere that optimal quantity is 30% pigment. By the way, the result of saturation depends on this
- In order for the pigment to be distributed as evenly as possible, I added a solvent to the mixture and maintained a proportion of 1% of the total mass. When choosing a solvent, pay attention to the varnish you use
- Stir the entire solution and gradually speed up this process. Wait for a homogeneous mass
- That's basically all. The DIY paint is ready and can be applied to the required areas. The main thing in the process is to adhere to the correct proportions and do not overdo it with the solvent.
If you have chosen a transparent varnish, but want to give the mixture a tint, then add a little color to the resulting luminescent paint.
Applying luminescent material
Luminescent paint in the interior
After I prepared the luminescent paint with my own hands, all that remained was to choose the area of its application and apply it to the surface. As in any other process, the surface to be painted must first be prepared.
Clean the area where the luminescent material is applied from dirt and dust. If necessary, degrease the area to be painted. If we apply our mixture to the wall white paint, then the fluorescent glow will be much brighter and better. Therefore, I did not neglect this advice and applied a white solution to a section of the wall. By the way, the white coating serves as a primer layer, and after applying it with our own hands, we wait for the luminescent paint to dry completely.
Mix the luminescent composition thoroughly before application - this is necessary because the pigment itself tends to precipitate. When the solution is ready, apply it in a thin layer. You can use rollers or brushes - I had a sprayer for this case. After the first applied layer, you need to apply the next one, but do not forget to wait for the initial layer to dry completely.
Important! To ensure durability of designs using luminescent paints, cover them with a finishing layer of varnish. Thus, all your design will be reliably protected from external adverse factors and mechanical stress.
When creating such a design yourself, you can use pre-prepared stencils or draw some patterns by hand with a brush. If luminescent material is used in a children's room, then rest assured that a painted starry sky on the ceiling or an outlined outline of animals on the walls of the room will definitely delight your child. The magic of images that are created with the help of luminescent paints can delight not only children's eyes, but also surprise even adults.
Luminescent paint for interior design
If you do not want to paint a large area of the surface with a luminescent mixture, then prepare a stencil with various abstractions or patterns, and then use it to recreate the design on any surface convenient for you.
Using several colors of luminescent paint, you can create paintings and small landscapes directly on the surface of walls and ceilings. I even saw photographs of people using such paints to leave kind messages on the walls, which then attracted attention for many, many years. If you are afraid of the dark, and there are no light bulbs on your switches, then the powder will come to the rescue, because by applying such a luminescent mixture to the switch, you will definitely see it at night.
For myself, I realized that the application luminescent mixtures in the interior of your home it is beautiful, unusual and very impressive in the dark.
Electroluminescent mixture from LumiLor
Wall decoration with luminescent paint
Since the photoluminescent paint mixture is already familiar to everyone, but electroluminescent paint can be called new for us, I decided to tell you a little about it. Such paint is used in particular for car tuning, and if an ordinary element glows only in the dark, accumulating its energy from light, then this option begins to glow after applying an electric current.
The well-known brand LumiLor has the following paint colors in its arsenal, but do not forget that to get a new shade you just need to mix them:
- Red
- Green
- Blue paint color
- Yellow tint
- White
The most interesting thing about this material is that if there is no power supply, then the painted car looks completely normal. This is very relevant for those who love to display their art. Thanks to this property of paint, when current is applied, everyone will see the various designs and creativity that you have created with your own hands.
LumiLor paints operate at alternating current frequencies from 500 to 1000 Hz. When connecting, a 12V inverter is used, and it is already connected to the power source. These can be batteries or a regular 220V outlet.
Since ancient times, people have tried to obtain substances that emit a glow in the dark in order to decorate decorative objects, certain types of rooms, or use them to apply drawings. At the same time, substances that emitted harmful components or dangerous radiation were quite often used, although they are also used in modern mixtures.
If you are interested in the name of the paint that glows in the dark and is safe, then after reading the article you will thoroughly understand everything.
Features and Specifications
Characteristics
- First of all, it should be noted that this type paints must undergo very careful control not only from the relevant authorities, but also from independent experts.
- Typically, paint glows in the dark due to substances that are very toxic and harmful to the human body.. Therefore, control is carried out specifically over their content. At the same time, conscientious manufacturers try to obtain several quality certificates, one of which would be international.
- It is worth noting that some types of such dyes are endowed with a number of additional properties, which determine the scope and place of application. Therefore, among modern building materials You can find products with almost any technical characteristics.
- Usually these compounds give a certain color. However, it does not always correspond to the shade with which the substance will glow. That is why the operating instructions for the specific composition have great value and must always be taken into account.
- Most manufacturers claim that their dye will retain its quality for quite a long time. long time. For some, these periods reach limits of twenty years. However, in practice this is not at all the case, since the process of loss of radiation intensity begins much earlier, and it finally ends precisely by the specified date.
- If you are making glow-in-the-dark paint with your own hands, then it is immediately worth noting that most of the recipes offered by amateurs may turn out to be not only ineffective, but also dangerous. Such mixtures are best purchased from finished form. (See also article.)
Advice!
It is very important to check the expiration date on the packaging of such dyes.
A delay in operation of even a few days can significantly affect the performance of the substance.
Scope of application
- Most often, such compositions are used to create certain advertising stands or signs. However, the price of dyes of a similar type of action that can withstand various kinds external influences, quite high. Sometimes it is much cheaper to use electric lighting fixtures, which at the same time give more light.
- Some companies and industrial complexes use this paint to apply identification marks and signs that will be visible during a power outage.
- Most of these compositions have a fluorescent effect and require some kind of recharge from a lighting source. That is why they are used to create various types of compositions based on lighting fixtures.
- Recently, these substances have begun to be used for decorative design certain premises. They are applied to the surface as a pattern that will appear only when the lighting is turned off. At the same time professional designers recommend the use of substances that release different color to diversify the interior. (See also article.)
Advice!
When working with such dyes, you must follow all safety precautions indicated on the packaging and use individual means protection.
Otherwise, you may get poisoned.
Conclusion
By watching the video in this article, you can get more detailed information about what these types of paint and varnish products are and what they are. Also, based on the article presented above, it should be concluded that it is not worth making luminous paints yourself, since it is not effective and unsafe. Much easier to use already ready-made compositions, which are much more reliable and practical.
