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Q:
hi.... i would like to make some glow in the dark powder by myself... i knew tat the formula is zinc sulfide + copper... can i know the actual way detailly??? i mean step by step... what to get, material, equipment thank you
- Shermund (age 18)
Malaysia
A:
Hi Shermund,
You are on the right track already. Zinc sulfide with a small
amount of added copper makes a fine glow-in-the-dark ("phosphorescent")
pigment. Zinc sulfide is naturally occuring -- ZnS is a mineral called
"sphalerite". You can buy very pure ZnS from chemical supply houses and
while it is non-toxic, it can be an eye irritant, and produces toxic
gases (sulfur dioxide for example) when burned. I do not recommend
processing it yourself to get the copper in because of this. Lots of
different glow-in-the-dark pigments are available commercially at very
low cost -- it would probably be cheaper and certainly safer to buy
some than to set up expensive, hazardous equipment.
A better pigment is Strontium Aluminate, which can also be
purchased -- it glows much longer than ZnS. Companies that make these
pigments probably don't publish the exact procedures so as not to
encourage competition, and also so as not to be responsible for
injuries to people attempting hazardous chemical procedures.
Tom
(published on 10/22/2007)
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